Prophecy
by XenaGriffin
Summary: Xena, Eve and Gabrielle have lived through more than enough Prophecys. But after Gabrielle gets mortally wounded, Ares informs Xena of a new Prophecy. Now, Xena has to save the world and everyone in it, along with her best friend. But there's a catch. The link below is a trailer to my story /watch?v xQerk7CxVGE
1. Opening

It was a gloomy day. Fog rolled over the land. Huge mountains towered over anything that stood below them. The trees were still, no wind to create a sound or movement. A long stream ran downward toward the plains far below. In the misty hills stood a figure. It was a woman. She rode up from on a horse. As the fog began to clear away, the horse came into full view. It was a golden colored horse with a white diamond shape from its forehead down to its muzzle. Its tail and mane where long and white flowing in the wing as the horse gracefully ran. Argo was its name. The woman on the horse was beautiful. She was a tall, dark woman with long, raven hair that flowed down to her mid-back. She had beautiful crystal blue eyes that could make any man fall for her. But she wasn't just a woman, she was a warrior. She wore her usual armor, a black leather tunic that hugged her every shape and form. It had a skirt with frayed strips that went down to her mid-thigh. Over her tunic, she wore a golden metal breastplate and backplate with the same type of metal for her shoulder-pads. Her sword at her back and a round weapon, her signature weapon, the Chakram, at her side. She had knee-high leather boots, suitable for any type of movement or terrain. Her name was Xena, she was known throughout the world as the 'Warrior Princess' or 'Slayer of Gods'. Some formally know her as 'Destroyer of Nations', while warlords and some warriors know her as 'Ares' Chosen' or 'Ares' Favorite'. She rode with no emotion, seeming expressionless since departed from her best friend, Gabrielle and daughter, Eve. Xena didn't stop riding, fore she knew she was being watched, stalked, and followed. She rode far and fast, covering miles of land in minutes. She was heading to again, defeat the Persian army. Only she has defeated them, which she did alone because Gabrielle's life had been slipping away. She was dying then, like she was dying now.


	2. Poisoned

**Earlier...**

The three women had made camp that night. It was late and they still had a five hour ride to Potedia, Gabrielle's birth-town. Both Eve and Gabrielle had fallen asleep after they put their bedrolls down. They were exhausted from the long journey they've been taking. Xena stayed up late, thinking, always thinking.

Xena had waken up first, just after sunrise. Again, she had been sitting for hours, thinking about Gabrielle's sister and how she would react. After all, Gabrielle's parents weren't too fond of Xena before they past away. The reason was because she was the one who made Gabrielle a warrior in the first place.

Hours later, Eve and Gabrielle wake up to find Xena gone. Argo was too, missing.

Xena had scouted ahead, Argo at her side. She was about half a mile away from camp. She took slow steps, not making a sound. She was listening to the forest, for any sound of attackers. She heard a crack of a branch, then was replace by gasping and hyperventilating. She turned her head to the sound. A tall curly-haired man came running through the bushes. He was limping badly and bleeding with cuts and bruises on his body. He stopped and fell back. He rolled over to face her, "Run woman, they're gonna kill us all."

She bent down to help the man with a badly bleeding wound on his chest under his shirt. She ripped open his shirt and touched the wound. He screamed and she looked up. "You broke 3 ribs." She did a pressure point to his chest around the wound. "What did you do to me?" "I blocked your nerves. Now, you can't feel most of the pain that will have to be done in order to heal you, but you will feel some pain." He nodded and closed his eyes. She looked at him as if to say she was sorry, then she looked down. She put both hands on his rib cage. She pressed down and started feeling around for where the broken ribs were. She found them but one was puncturing his lungs, that's why he's hyperventilating. She found the edge of the bone. She reached to her right boot down to where her ankle is, pulling out a dagger. "Ready?" "Yeah.". She put the dagger under the rib, and slowly pushed down. At about an inch deep she started cutting a half circle in his skin. He winced, and throughout the whole time had his mouth open, trying to hold in cries of pain. She lifted up a huge flap of skin and again looked at him, feeling sorry. She stuck her hand through the hole and into his body. He screamed constantly. She grabbed one of the broken ribs, making sure she had the right grip. Again she glanced at the screaming man and back down. She tightened her grip on the rib, and put pressure on his chest. She pulled the rib up to where it was now in place. He cried in pain, screaming worse than anyone ever could.

One by one, the same thing happened. She took her hand out when she was done and closed the flap of skin. She started sewing it back together. After she tied it off, men came running toward her with swords in their hands. "That's them. They did this to me," the man said. The men looked at Xena, then looked at her right arm. It was covered in blood, trickling down her arm and off her fingers. They looked back at her. Some ran, but two stayed.

They charged. She bent down, and picked up the bloodied dagger. She threw it at the bigger man, hitting him in the face near the lower left of the forehead. He fell to the ground, blood oozing out of the wound. She ran up to the other man that charged at her. Just before they collided, she ran up him like a wall, kicked him in the face and flipped off him onto the ground. She heard the scream of two women and instantly knew who they were. The man got back up and took out a dagger from behind her. Xena, facing the other direction, took out her chakram. She applied pressure to the center and making it split into two. He charged at her dagger in hand. With one part of the chakram in each hand, she turned around and swung one hand out, cutting the mans dagger. He staggered in shock. With the other hand, Xena swung the chakram at his head, almost fully decapitating him. She ran over to the other man and pulled her dagger out of his face. She ran to Argo and took out a black cloth from her saddle-bag. She wiped the cloth over the bloodied blade of the dagger, cleaning it off. Then put the dagger back where it belongs. She got on Argo and rode to camp.

When she got there, Eve and Gabrielle were being attacked. A group of 13 Persian men pounced. Xena got off her horse and helped them with the battle. Eve and Gabrielle battle with the strength of many, but Xena stood out. Soon, both Xena and Eve were too busy performing a series of flips and kicks to notice Discord, the one out of many Greek gods, that would help the Persian army get back at Xena for beating them in battle many years ago.

The other gods, including Zeus, knew Xena was too dangerous. The only reason is because she had the power to kill gods. Knowing her reputation, they didn't want to take a chance. They saw her in battle. She defeated an army of over 300 soldiers by herself, resurrected from the dead over 3 times, Killed some gods, almost took over most of the land with Ares help, and even has a God on her side.

Discord shot an arrow at Gabrielle's shoulder while she was fighting. After Xena and Eve killed all the others. They ran over to Gabrielle. Xena blocked her nerves. Xena looked at Gabrielle and Gabrielle nodded. Eve started a fire and Xena got a thin metal bar she kept on Argos harness. She put it in the fire until it turned an orange color. Xena pushed the arrow through Gabrielle's shoulder until the arrowhead came out the other hand. She broke the arrowhead off and pulled the arrow out. Then she got the orange bar and stuck it through the wound, twisting it to clean it out. Then she pulled it out. Gabrielle screamed throughout the whole time. Xena looked at the arrow head to to find a strong smell. She brought it closer to her face to get a better smell of exactly what it was. After she smelled it, brought the arrow down slowly in shock and looked at the arrow design. It was a Persian arrow. A poisoned arrow.


	3. The Gods Plans

Discord only did that as a consequence of Xena for having been the God of War's obsession. It wasn't her fault Ares had fallen in love with her. It had been many years since Xena and Ares had parted from being lovers. Though Xena was somewhat over him, it was obvious that he was still falling for her. He'd been trying to get her back ever since she'd left him, trying to seduce her back over to the dark side. But this was before he knew how he felt, he'd eventually came to admit that he'd loved her. He'd try to tell her loads of times, only coming to find her either disagreeing or leaving before he could finish. So he eventually wanted her by force. He then tried seducing her for a child of his own in exchange for his love loyalty, and protection.

Of course she turned it down. She had a good reason to. Last time they were together, He turned her into a heartless monster, killing anyone that questioned her, got in her way, or when she just felt like shedding blood. He turned her into a ruthless, evil, Warlord

She and Eve took Gabrielle to her sister, Lila, and her niece, Sarah's house. They hospitalized her and soon after, Xena left to get the antidote. Eve stayed behind with Gabrielle for support and company.

**Now...**

It was a gloomy day. Fog rolled over the land. Huge mountains towered over everything that stood below them. The trees were still, no wind to create a whistling sound or movement. A long stream ran downward toward the plains far below. In the misty hills stood a figure. It was a woman. She rode up from on a horse. As the fog began to clear away, the horse came into full view. It was a golden colored horse with a white diamond shape on its forehead down to its muzzle. Its tail and mane where long and white, flowing in the wing as the horse gracefully ran. Argo its name was. The woman on the horse was beautiful. She was a tall, dark woman with long, raven hair that flowed down to her mid-back. She had beautiful crystal blue eyes that could make any man fall for. But she wasn't just a woman, she was a warrior. She wore her usual armor, a black leather tunic that hugged her every shape and form. It had a skirt with frayed strips that went down to her mid-thigh. Over her tunic, she wore a golden metal breastplate and backplate with the same type of metal for her shoulder-pads. her sword at her back and a round weapon, her signature weapon, the Chakram, at her hip. She had knee-high leather boots, suitable for any type of movement or terrain. Her name was Xena, she known throughout the world as the 'Warrior Princess' or 'Slayer of Gods'. Some formally know her as 'Destroyer of Nations', while warlords and some warriors know her as 'Ares' Chosen' or 'Ares' Favorite'. She rode with no emotion, seeming expressionless since departed from her best friend, Gabrielle and daughter, Eve. Xena didn't stop riding, fore she knew she was being watched, stalked, and followed. She rode far and fast, covering miles of land in minutes. She was heading to again, defeat the Persian army. Only she has defeated them, which she did alone because Gabrielle's life had been slipping away. She was dying then, like she was dying now.

As Xena was looking in the distance, she felt a surge of energy go down her spine and closed her eyes. "Come out, Ares, I know your here." He appeared out of thin air as a flash of blue light. He was tall, dark and handsome. the kind of man any woman could fall for, and a woman would die if he fell for her. Anyone except Xena. He had a very short but dark Van Dyke beard and short black. His dark brown eyes stared at her while she looked forward and not at him. He wore his usual black vest, sword at his side, and black leather plants that were soon covered by his long black boots. "Your still the only mortal I know who can do that," he said walking toward her horse with a smirk. All she did was stare into his eyes coldly, "what do you want?" "You always have to get straight to the point, do you?" he sighed, "I know why your here." "Oh, spying on me now are you?" she said agitated. Ignoring her question, he went on with what he was saying, "Your after the Persians. You know that they're just gonna keep coming 'till your dead." She looked away. "Discord wanted revenge so she poisoned the annoying blonde. Your going because you know they are the only other people with the cure. The only other people with the antidote is Athens and by the time you get there, she would be dead. You know I'm right," he said looking at her, the smirk on his face completely faded. Xena darted her head back over to him and sneered, "what do you care?" It was quiet for what seemed like a century but only lasted minutes. Then he answered, his voice tender and soft, "Xena, you can't even begin to imagine how much I care. I don't like seeing you like this, Xena." She looked down at him from on top of her horse. His eyes showed pain, sorrow, and regret for things he did to her in the past. She also saw something in there that she thought was never possible for the God of War. She saw compassion, she saw love. "I love you, Xena." She was surprised he actually admitted it, but she couldn't take it, not now, not with Gabrielle in the state she's in. After getting no response from Xena, who was looking down at her horse, he vanished in a similar way he came. All the other gods, but Aphrodite and Cupid, thought it was a trick. They thought Ares was faking this just to get Xena back into the warlord she was. But Aphrodite and Cupid knew the truth, it wasn't just regular old love, it was true love.

Xena just sat there on her horse, looking at where Ares once stood. Two arrows came out from the trees behind her. She turned around and about inches from her face, she caught one with her right hand and the other with her left. She turned to face forward and one last arrow came out of the trees. As it came she leaned over ever so slightly to the left and caught the last arrow in her teeth. She took the arrow from her mouth and held them all in her left hand, putting Argo to a sprint toward the trees where she saw a small group of Persians. While Argo was at a gallop, she flipped off Argo and onto the one of seven men, knocking him unconscious. Seven, now six Persian men stood before her, the ones that had shot the arrows. She flipped off the guy onto the ground. Before anyone was able to react, she took two of the three arrows she held in her hand. She smelled the tip, "poison just like Gabrielle," and threw it at two of the men. She put the third arrow on her belt next to her chakram. There were four guys left, but only three charged at her. She got her chakram and thew it at one of the mens faces. It bounced of his face to the next two and back to her. She caught it as they fell to the ground, dead. The biggest of the man stood there starring at her. He didn't run because Persians don't run, they stand and fight to the death. Finally, he charged, sword in hand. Xena flipped over his head and kicked him in the back, making him fall to the ground. As she landed she turned around and took a step so that she was over him. He turned and tried to crawl away, but she turned him around by the collar, and did a pressure point to his neck. She held his head up by holding his hair and suddenly, it was a whole lot harder for him to breath, his face turned red, his veins swelled and his nose started to gush blood. "I've just cut off the flow of blood to your brain. You'll be dead in thirty seconds unless I release you. Now tell me, who's your leader," she growled. He was in real pain, but he didn't respond. "Ten seconds," she said seconds after. "Discord, Discord is leading our army," he finally said. "What does she want." "You dead." She undid the pinch, but took the arrow from her belt. She plunged it deep within his stomach, red blood slowly pouring out. He cried out in pain, "I'm going to let you die slowly, but with much more pain," she growled. She let go of his hair and kicked him to the ground, letting the arrow run through his body like a spear.

She got back on Argo, and followed tracks that were leading to the Persian camp. She looked at her chakram and thought to herself, ' Ares gave this to me as a warlord when I murdered billions of innocents every day with his help. Pain and death to everyone around me, screams of horror and agonizing pain. I use it everyday. If I claim to hate him so much, why do I still have the one thing he gave to me? Do I still have feelings for him?' She shook the thoughts out of her head. Instead she thought about how she was going to take over and victor the Persian army. Simple, beat the leader. It was a simple task, not an easy one.


	4. Getting The Cure

Around sundown, she saw the camp. She waited until it was completely dark to head out. She didn't bother putting up a fire because all it would do was get the Persian's attention to ruin the whole thing. Once it was dark, she let Argo go, "Argo, I want you to go as far away from here as you can, do you here me?" she said gesturing Argo to leave. Argo road up the hill then turned to look at Xena. "Go!" she yelled. Argo left her sight. Xena didn't want Argo to get hurt. Xena knows the Persians and they would have killed Argo if they found her.

She sneaked into the Persian camp, hidden by the dark. There were about 600-1000 Persians in the camp. It had to be the main camp. She saw the leaders tent because it wasn't that hard to spot. It was big and red and in the night it seemed to glow because of the light inside.

She sneaked in without anyone noticing her and took her sword quietly out of it's scabbard. The tent had bricks on the inside walls and the fabric was blue instead of red. There were two soldiers talking to Discord and Xena could clearly make out what they were saying. "We found Xena's horse just beyond the perimeters of the camp," the soldier on the right said. "Good," said Discord, "that means she's nearby. Set up a mount of soldiers on the perimeter at the..." "East, that's where we saw it last," said the soldier on the left finished. "Damn you, Argo," Xena muttered under her breath. "Tell them that next time they see the horse, kill it. That will break Xena's little heart. Now leave," Discord to the men. They bowed their head and left the tent. Discord sat on her chair.

Once Discord was alone, Xena came out from where she was hidden before. "Hello, Discord," Xena said, taking out her sword and holding out in front of her. Discord just looked at her with a smile on her face. "Xena, so you know. Poor, Gabrielle. She's probably dead now." They clashed swords and fought for minutes. After about 20 minutes, Xena gained the upper hand. With her strength, Xena pushed Discords sword down the her neck. Then Discord, with a godly glow, moved Xena's sword toward Xena and kicked her square in the stomach. Xena flew across the tent and onto a chest of Hephaestus's metal, unbreakable by man nor god. Xena's head hit the chest, hard and being only a mortal, got into a concision and fell into a coma. Discord got up and stood over Xena, who had a huge gash on her bleeding head. "Well, well, well Xena. Looks like Gabrielle wont be getting her cure after all," Discord said holding her sword above Xena's heart. Just as she brought the sword down before hitting Xena, a blue fireball hit Discord hard in the side, knocking her out.

Just as Discord fell to the ground, Ares ran over to Xena and picked her head up holding her unconscious body in his arms. "Xena, I'm sorry. This is all my fault," he said moving her ravin hair from her face. "If I hadn't been so obsessed with you, if I hadn't loved you, you would be in a better state and none of this would've happened. You wouldn't be in this near death state and Gabrielle would still be okay." He looked at her bones to see if any bones were broken. In fact, her skull had been cracked open. He saw that she was internally bleeding in the head. He put his fingers to her neck, checking for her pulse. It was slow, but still going. He unintentionally put one of his hands on her stomach, and looked at his princess, then looked down. Her breath was slow, going up and down. She released another breath, and it was longer than the rest. Her stomach didn't rise again. He perked his head up at this, and check her pulse again. Nothing. "Xena?" After about half a minute, he started to panic, "Xena?!" He shook her violently. Nothing. "Xena!" He pounded on her chest trying to restart her heart. Again, nothing. Ares can't heal her because he doesn't have that power. Only Athena does, and you have to have her blessing to do so. If Ares tried asking, Athena wouldn't except because if Xena lives, Xena would be able to kill her. He did mouth to mouth, it still didn't work. He lifted his head to the skies and screamed, "Xena, No!"

His screams shook the very earth, and all of Olympus. All the other gods heard and winced at the sound, all except Aphrodite. "Ares, I'm so sorry dear brother," Aphrodite said to herself, tears dripping down her face.

Ares looked back down at Xena, tears filling his eyes. "Why did you leave me? You were the one thing in the world I care about. Why did you leave now forever alone, Xena?" He put his hand and brushed her face. "I love you, Xena," he leaned over and brushed his lips with hers. A tear rolled down his cheek as he pulled away. A tear drop landed on Xena's face near her closed eye. It rolled down her face and fell on the ground as if it had been her own tear. He widened his eyes remembering something. He held his hand up and a small, round container with an imprint of Xena's chakram on it with an X engraved in the center materialized in his hand. It was filled with a red liquid, Gorgons blood. It is said it could revive the dead only minutes after death with one drop as long as the god gives up his immortality, but it's never been proven to work. He put a finger over her lip, opening her mouth. He opened the cap of the container with his thumb. He poured a drop of the liquid in her mouth. Nothing. He dug his head in her chest, eyes closed and tears dripping down his face. All of a sudden, he heard 'thump... thump...thump... He opened his eyes and darted his head up so that his face was feet from hers. Her eyes shot open and she gasped. Her blue orbs, once again, filled with life. She caught her breath and realized he was there and that he saved her. He looked down at her his last tear sliding down his face, hand on her cheek. He didn't care about his reputation at the moment, not after what just happened. She smiled and put her hand on his in return, wiping the tear away before it fell. Before she put her hand down he grabbed her hand and held it in his. "I thought I lost you," Ares said smiling back. "You almost did, but no, Ares. Not yet, not for a long time." They fell into a long, tender kiss.

While they were catching up, they forgot all about Discord. They didn't realize that Discord had awaked at the sight of the kiss. Jealous that Xena was now with Ares, she charged at the couple, sword in hand. Xena pulled away from Ares embrace, got upon her feet, picked up her sword and plunged it deep within Discord's stomach, "I win." As Xena pulled her sword from the mortally wounded god, Discord gasped for air and fell to the ground. "Ares... all... I wanted... was to have you... back. Not to have... you fall in... love with... her," she said, voice fading away. He kneeled down by Xena next to the dying Discord. He grabbed Xena's hand and put it on Discords wound. "Sister, I don't love you, I never did. Can't you get that through your damn head," Ares growled, "I love her." He looked at Xena lovingly. Xena's foot was now touching Discord as Ares leaned in and kissed Xena.

After a few seconds, Xena pulled away to find a dead Discord jealously staring at the kiss. Ares closed Discord eyes and took the vail of the cure from her belt. He handed it to Xena who took it from him with a thanks. Xena looked at the vial, then to Ares. "Xena, I can't take you to Gabrielle. I gave up my immortality to save you." "Ares..." Xena brought her hand to his face. "Thank you for..." but before she could finish what she was saying, Ares locked her lips in a loving kiss. Xena pulled back and said, "now let's go cure Gabrielle." Ares took out his sword and chopped Discords head off. He took it and went outside with Xena.

The soldiers looked up and found Xena and Ares there. "Look, it's Xena. Get her!" But before anything happened, Ares gave Xena Discords head and, holding it by the hair, held it up. The soldiers gasped at the sight, fore they hadn't known that she could kill the gods. The soldiers got on one knee, "Xena, we are at your command!" Ares smirked behind Xena, fore he longed to see this sight again. "Go to your homes and family, defend your villages from harm. If you kill one more innocent, pray to the gods that I don't find you." They did as she told. Xena whistled and soon Argo came galloping out of the trees. Just as Xena put her sword in her scabbard and get on Argo, Ares stood sitting on the horse with a hand out. Xena smirked grabbed his hand and got and behind Ares. She wrapped her arms around his chest and leaned in his back to rest after the past events. Ares smiled at the feel of this. And they were off.


	5. The Words Have Been Spoken

They got to Potedia just before sunrise. Xena got off Argo and Ares put Argo in the stables. Xena ran into Lila's house, seeing Eve waiting for her, and ran into the room Gabrielle was in. Eve told Xena she was unconscious for twenty minutes before she gotten there. Xena saw her blonde sidekick and friend laying unconscious on a bed. She ran over to her and poured the cure in Gabrielle's open mouth. Her eyes opened. "Hey," Xena said. "Hi," Gabrielle replied, "you made it." "Yeah, I guess I did." Xena smiled at Gabrielle and looked over to Eve who was smiling, and Lila and Sarah, who were both teary eyed. She looked back at the doorway to see Ares leaning on the doorway then leave. "I got to go. Eve, Lila and Sarah have been dying to talk to you." "Bye," Eve and Gabrielle said. Xena smiled and left after Ares as the three women walked over and talked to Gabrielle.

She went outside to see Ares on a black horse riding away. Xena got Argo from the stables and followed Ares trail. She came to a old looking temple dedicated to Ares in the middle of a abandoned city. She quietly gasped as she got off Argo and led her inside. She looked around occasionally picking things up from off the ground to refresh her memory. This was the temple she made her first sacrifice to Ares when she was fifteen. That was over 40 years ago. He remembered and she couldn't believe it. She looked around to find Ares sitting on his throne. "Xena, I needed to talk to you in private, that's why I brought you here." "You remembered." "Yes, how could I forget? Xena, your the most important thing in my life." "Ares..." "No, Xena, listen. The Fates told of a prophecy that tells on an great evil. One more evil than the Evil One god, Dahak. He's called the Dark One. Only one can defeat him, one who has a daughter of pure heart and a friend of peace. One with long ravin hair and sky blue eyes. One who was ugly at the heart but has now changed to the most beautiful heart. One who can be light at the touch or hard. One with godly powers, strength, rage and fiery. One gentle, caring, soft, and loving. She will defeat the Great Evil that threatens this land as long as she gives up something, the man she keeps closest to her heart. If she doesn't fight or doesn't give up that man, the woman will die. He will keep the woman's body, destroy the world and slaughter everybody, except the woman's dear loved ones, and use everyone else's blood to create his own world on the earth. Bloody roots will grow over the ground, and human blood will replace the water and air we breathe. He will lock the woman's body up and revive the woman's soul to the body and torture the woman's loved ones making sure the woman dose everything the Great Evil tells the woman to do, including birthing the Great Evil's million children, who will feed on the flesh of the people who live and grow on the earth," Ares said looking the long ravin haired beauty in the sky blue orbs Xena has.


	6. What?

**Back in Potedia...**

Gabrielle sits up draping her legs over the edge of the bedside. "Hey, Eve, do you know where Xena went?" asked Gabrielle. Eve looked at her in shock, "no, I thought you knew." "Xena didn't tell us," Lila said looking from Sarah to Gabrielle. Gabrielle got up out of bed. She looked around the house. She wasn't there. Everyone helped and looked around town. No Xena.

Gabriele tried to remember the last thing Xena said to her. 'I got to go. Eve, Lila and Sarah have been dying to talk to you,' was the last thing Xena said. "Did I see Ares by the doorway when Xena looked back," Gabrielle said to herself. She tried to remember.

**A long time ago...**

Xena and Gabrielle are walking in a field of grass. "Xena, when did you first meet Ares?" Gabrielle asks looking up at Xena. "Why do you want to know?" Well after all these times you two fought and... made up, I want know how it all started? There was a pause for a moment.

Xena thought back. "I was fifteen. After Cortese' raid, Lyceus' death, and my mother banishing me from my home. I went south, about 4 miles north of Potedia. I went into a temple. Yes, Ares temple, and I prayed to him. In the middle of my prayer, he appeared in front of me. He made me a deal and said with his help, I can get back at Cortese. But I will have to become his chosen and give my heart and soul over to him. Even if I later want to cut back on the deal, I will have to keep my part of the deal. I foolishly agreed being lost, and blinded by hatred. To seal the deal I made a human sacrifice to Ares, cutting out a mans heart and then crushing it in one fist over his body, while Ares, with his godly powers, kept the man alive to the end." Almost throughout the whole story, Gabrielle notice the small half-smile on Xena's face.

**Now...**

"Wait," Gabrielle said to herself, "Xena said, 'I went south, about 4 miles north of Potedia.'" She went to get Lila, Sarah and Eve. She found Lila and Sarah. She couldn't find Eve. "Have you guys seen Eve?" Gabrielle asked. "She said she was looking for you," Lila said. "Ok, thanks. I got to go after I find Eve. I'll see you soon." Gabrielle hugged her niece and kissed her sister on the check embracing her as well. "Bye," Sarah and Lila said waving to Gabrielle. "Bye," replied Gabrielle. Then she ran off in search of Eve.

Gabrielle ran through a big crowd. she eventually made her way to the front. Demeter, the main goddess of Potedia, was hovering over her temple. "A new prophecy has befallen on us. You are all in grave danger," Demeter says looking around. Gabrielle sees Eve, and walks toward her. Demeter then spots Gabrielle. Gabrielle grabs Eve's shoulder. Then they both look up at Demeter who stares at them and disappears. The crowd staggers and goes back to their homes, frightened. "Gabrielle, did you see that?" asked Eve in horror. "What?" "Demeter was talking about some prophecy, then she looked down at us. She wasn't even finished with what she was saying and when she saw us and she left." "That must mean," Gabrielle says in horror. "Mother," Eve said, "we have to find my mother." She turned, but Gabrielle gently grabs her shoulder. Eve looks back. "Eve, I know where she is." "Where?"

With all their stuff together. They ride 4 miles up north, to Ares temple. They're right outside it. Everything around it is rundown. Ashes and dust everywhere. "What is this place," asked Eve. "I don't know," Gabrielle replied, "All I know is that Xena came here once when she was lost." They saw the temple and went inside.

**In the temple...**

Xena and Ares are violently yelling at each other, Xena's face was red holding back tears that started forming in her eyes. They were standing only feet apart, their heads less than a foot away from each other. They didn't notice Eve and Gabrielle walk in. "Why should I believe you, Ares?!" "Why shouldn't you?!" "I've already been through enough with these prophecies! I missed 25 years of my child's life that was spent agelessly sleeping in an ice cave you put me in for 25 years. I killed 7 Gods and the Furies, all because of some stupid prophecy about me and my child!" "Xena!" "For all I know, this could just be another one of your sick mind-playing games!" "Xena, this is no joke! Try to get your mind to understand that!" "Ares, I've had enough of this!" She turned to the door, head to the ground, still not knowing Eve and Gabrielle standing 15 feet away from her. Ares walked to her and abruptly jerked her shoulder to face him. "If you don't do this, all of us, including you will die, but if you do fight this, I will die! You have to kill me and fight the dark one! It's better to give up my life than the world isn't it, Xena!?" She was looking at the ground so the former God of War couldn't see her face. With his finger, he lifted her chin up. He saw 2 tears roll down her cheek. Then he realized he had caused those tears. He steeped back, "Xena, I'm sorry."

She turned and walked forward, head down at the ground. He turned and went back to his chair. Xena walked right passed Eve and Gabrielle and straight out the door. Xena didn't make a sound as she walked out.

Ares sat on his throne watching his chosen leave, crying because of him. He then glanced off to the side seeing Eve and Gabrielle, looking from him to Xena and back again. He then looked back at the doorway to find no one there. He closed his eyes.

Eve and Gabrielle looked at each other. "What's going on?" Gabrielle said. "And why were Xena and Ares yelling at each other?" asked Eve. "And why did Ares say Xena needed to kill him or she and everyone else will die? asked Gabrielle. Gabrielle ran out the door followed by Eve. They looked around and saw Xena getting on Argo. "Mother are you okay?" asked Eve looking at her mother with worry. Xena's tears were gone and her face looked hard. "I'm fine." Xena, what was that all about?" asked Gabrielle confused by what she had just seen. "Why don't you ask the cause?" Xena said. Before anything else could be asked, Xena clicked her tongue making her horse run away from the temple. "Where are you going?!" yelled Gabrielle. "A mile north! Find me, I'll put up a fire so you know where I am, but I know you two well enough to know you guys wont need the fire to find me!" Xena yelled across the land expanding between them.

Eve and Gabrielle walked back into the temple. Ares was still sitting on his throne, eyes closed, "What do you want?" "What happened to Xena?" Gabrielle asked. "You mean why were Xena and I fighting when you came in? I told her that the fate of the world rests in her hands and she takes it all out on me?" "Prophecy? Wasn't Demeter talking about a prophecy earlier?" Eve asked Gabrielle. "Ares, what prophecy?" Ares sighs and opens his eyes. He gets up and walks over to a mirror. He recites a poem in a Godly language. He puts his hand through the mirror, and pulls out a scroll. He hands it to Gabrielle and walks off back to his chair, leaning his face into it. Gabrielle looked at the scroll and read it. It read what ares said to Xena sometime ago. "Godly powers?. Xena doesn't have powers." "Ares what happened while Xena was getting the cure." He turned around and walked toward Gabrielle. "Discord shot the arrow at you. Xena went to get the cure. Discord knocked her head into Hephaestus chest. Xena got critically injured, she cracked her skull and internally bled. Xena died. I gave her a cure to make her come back with the cost of my powers. She killed Discord and I made sure she was touch her while Discord died transferring Discords powers to Xena. That's what happened. Ya happy?" He looked outside his temple. "Discord?" The prophecy somehow mad the gods come back. All the gods Xena killed in the past, including Discord, came back." "Where is Xena anyway?" Ares asked. She rode up north. Why?" "Gods no."


	7. Up North

It's dark now, the sky black with gray clouds helping the surrounding look bleak. Xena rode forward, it's been a mile now. At first following a rode, but she soon started trailing off it. There was a forest to the left of her. She rode on through the dark trees, that stood over her. She came to a clearing in the forest and got off Argo, she let the horse ride away, fore she knew she'd come back.

She took out her sword putting the tip of it on the ground. She looked up putting both hands on the knob of her sword and got on one knee. "Eli, you know I'm not much for praying, but I don't know what else to do. The one man in the world I love is telling me to kill him to save the world. My mind tells me yes for the sake of mankind, but my heart tells me no for the sake of the one man I'll ever love. I know the right answer, but I can't do that, I can't kill Ares. Please, find me another way." She put her head down to her hands.

The ground barely shook beneath her, though she felt it.

She looked at the ground trying to figure out what just happened. It shook again but more rapidly. She stood up. A crack opened in the earth with a red glow coming from inside. A hand appeared from inside. It was a demon hand once it hit the atmosphere of the earth, the hand formed into a human hand. It grabbed Xena's ankle tightly. It put all it's body weight on her ankle pulling it's body up. Xena pulled her ankle away from its grasp. It slipped, but held on to the soil. Once it was fully out of the crack, the crack closed. The body stood up. Because of the crack a fire appeared behind her. "Xena, Xena, Xena. You should know by now, you can never fully get rid of me. Not even with the Hinds Blood Dagger." A fire ball appeared in her hand. "What happened to you? You were an angle when I saw you last." "Well when you die as a God, you come back as a God. The Archangel, Michael forced me out of heaven and into hell after your child was born. I met the dark one and he brought me back on earth to find you." She threw the fire ball at Xena. She flipped over it, dodging it. "Callisto, don't do this. I saw the good in you once.

Try to overcome the evil that I caused you." "Stay evil and become an unstoppable minion to the Dark one, or side with Xena and most likely die in battle. I'll stick with being evil." Callisto threw another fireball. Again, Xena dodged it. "Stay still!" Callisto took out her sword. "Let's do this the old fashion way shall we." She took out her sword. They clashed. Xena knocked Callisto down, but Callisto tripped Xena in the process. Callisto started laughing. Just before Xena hit the ground, a huge hole with the red glow appeared in the ground under her. She fell in, but grabbed onto the mouth of the hole. She looked up trying to see where Callisto was. Callisto walked up to the edge laughing. Callisto stomped her foot on the fingers of Xena's right hand. She winced, but clung on. Then Callisto started twisting her foot on Xena's fingers. Her fingers came off one by one, bleeding because of her will to stay alive on earth. "Bye, Xena." Callisto said holding a fireball in her hand. Xena looked up at her, hurt in her eyes.

Callisto threw the fireball. Xena screamed and slipped. Her screams were loud, and agonizingly painful. "No!" Xena, still in pain, looked up and saw a man jump on Callisto. Callisto grunted in a scream like way while being knocked on the floor. Ares got on top of an enraged Callisto. "Ares, I hate you!" "I don't care!" Ares punched Callisto in the face heard knocking her out. "Xena!" He ran over to the mouth of the whole. Xena used all her strength screaming in pain. She slipped and let her hands go. "Xena!" Ares grabbed Xena's arm before she was out of reach. She clung on to Ares bringing her other arm up to his. "Xena, I got you." He pulled her up and out of the red hole in the earth. Ares and Xena looked at the hole, which closed up.

She sat down on the ground and put her face in her hands. "I have to tell you something, Xena," Ares said looking at her. She perked her head up, but kept her head in her hands. "Remember when you killed Discord the first time around, when Eve was baptized?" "Xena looked up, "Then I killed her again, now." "The Gods you killed are back. Don't ask me how, all I know is that it's all because of the prophecy. When you killed Discord, I made sure you were touching her." "Why?" "So her powers would transfer to you." She looked up at him. "Ares, I don't have powers." "No, they will come with time. Just try to avoid getting into trouble." "I can take care of myself, thank you very much." "I'm serious, I not going to be there every time, Xena. Especially without my powers." Her face is down, but her eyes are eyeing his.

Xena whistles to call Argo. Minutes later, Argo comes out from the distance. Xena walks over to Argo, taking a rope out from the saddlebag. She went over to a thick tree, and threw her chakram into it. She went back in the saddlebag and took out a ring, "I hand my hands on the reigned once long ago. I crafted two rings, not one. I gave one back to the reign maidens and I kept the other. It says that only one that has forsaken love can hold the power of the ring." She looked at Ares, "It can also restore the power of a god." She through it to Ares. "But only for a certain time. I need you to use it now. Can you turn this rope into one made of Hephaestus metal?" Ares put on the ring. He felt the power he had before surge through him like electricity. He nodded and turned the rope into a rope of Hephaestus metal. "Thank you." She hung the metal rope around her neck, then walked over to the unconscious Callisto. Xena picked her up and hung her body over her shoulder. She then set her down by the tree with the chakram lodged on the other side. She tied one end of the rope to the chakram and walked around, looping the rope around the tree twice. Then she put a cloth around Callisto's wrist and looped the rope four times around the cloth on her wrist. Then she looped around the tree one time and did the same to her other wrist. Xena looped around the tree two more times, tying the end of the rope to the Chakram. Xena then took out her chakram and twisted it twice to the right and flipped the chakram horizontally. She did that 10 times then split the chakram having the roped now tied together, come off.

She walked over and held a hand out to Ares. Ho took the ring off and grabbed her hand. She helped him up. They stood face to face. "Ares, I'm sorry I yelled at you earlier. I was wrong to.." Ares put a figure over Xena's lips to silent her. "I forgive you," Ares said calming all Xena senses. He leaned in to kiss her lips. She responded passionately, cradling the back of his head. He held her waist, bringing her closer.


	8. Under The Earth

Gabrielle and Eve came running in on horseback. Xena and Ares were sitting on a burned log waiting for them to come. Gabrielle saw Xena bleeding on the shoulder. "What happened?" Xena looked over to a chained Callisto who was still out from Ares blow to her head. Gabrielle and Eve looked to where Xena was starring. "How is that possible?" "Long story." "Mother, who's this?" "Callisto. An old enemy, friend. Well whatever, she's evil now."

Xena and Ares told them the long story. Soon after, telling the story, Gabrielle and Eve were speechless. They didn't know how it was possible, how the prophecy could have started so fast, when they least expected it to. They couldn't believe how Callisto went from an angle to a devil so easily. Especially how the Arc Angle Michael would let Callisto leave so fast. They left, leaving an unconscious Callisto to fend for herself.

Later that night, Callisto awoke. She looked down at the metal rope that held her tightly to the tree. She lifted her head to the skies laughing. "Oh Xena, you forget. The Dark one gave me back these powers, which are stronger than the Olympian gods. Therefore I can escape from your other gods pathetic chains." Her irises turned red, along with the chains. They bursted out of the tree and threw the chains off of her. She looked at the ground, waving her hands over it with the red glow in her eyes. A crack, glowing of the same color opened in the earth. Demon hands started forming reaching up for her. Callisto hovered on the pathway leading under the earth.

Hercules was watching this from a distance, starting from when Xena began to pray. "What in Tartarus is going on here, Xena," he muttered under his breath before Callisto was fully gone. She turned her head. Hercules moved his head, shaking a branch, making it make a small sound. Callisto turned round and headed out of the crack back on the earth. It was left open behind her. "Hercules, I know your here. Callisto said. He ran back into the dark forest. Callisto took out her sword, about to follow. A dark, deep voice stopped her from doing so. "Don't waste my time, Callisto. I need Xena. Hercules is of no use to me." Callisto turns around, obviously annoyed. "A girl should have some fun you think?" "Come down here, we need to talk about our plan." Callisto walks down the pathway in the crack. Once her skin touched the red glow, it turned to a devilish tone. She went fully down in the pathway and looked back up. the crack closed behind her. She looked forward again, a devilish smile across her face.

It looked even worse than Hell. Only the people that at first or completely wanted evil revenge on Xena that were killed were sent down here. All of them looking worse than they ever did. Memories of Xena's were on the wall. Memories of either dark, unpleasant or painful ones of her past. Things including her death, the death of her loved ones, her killing the innocent, murdering helpless people, or hurting her friends and family. All around men and some women were laughing at the torture that had been done to her. Different rooms were separate into different groups: revenge by someone else, revenge by themselves, and ones who need no part in revenge. The first group included Pompey, Agathon, Monlick, Milo, and lots more. The second category has more of a meaner bunch than the first, Julius Caesar, Alti, Chesnik Morloch, Discord, Kal, Ming T'ien, Ming Tzu and so on. The third group is of the people Xena killed that now forgive her, like Mark Antony and Cyane. Callisto went into the second room and sat down. "So, what does he have in mind." "He'll tell us in a matter of time," Caesar said, sitting down with a glass of wine in his devilish hand. "I want to know, Now!" Callisto yelled having the whole group of people stare at her. "Don't we all," Caesar said taking a sip.

**Back on Earth...**

Hours later, Hercules is still running away from the last thing he saw. He's sweeting now, sprinting, trying to find Xena and the others. He's been hearing Callisto's laughter all around. He looked back to see if she was following. He couldn't see her, but he saw bursts of fir coming from all directions behind him. Ahead of him a cracked opened up in the earth. Still running and looking backwards he fell into the red atmosphere. It seemed like 100 foot, but was only his mind playing trick on the brain. He fell on his stomach hard, but not hard enough to kill him. He kept his head down and got up. His hand was holding his forehead as if he had bumped it. He looked down at his arm, his skin turned the color you get when you burn it. The red glow seemed to burn the surface of his skin. He didn't pay too much attention to that though. He finally looked forward, his eyes widened. He sees the images of Xena's memory of her death on the cross. "Xena?" He looks to his side seeing more images of Xena's memory of her son, Solan's death. "Where am I?" Hercules says confused by all he sees. An unexpected voice from behind answers him "Under the earth." He turns around standing ten feet from one of his wort nightmares. "Hello Hercules," Callisto smiles with everyone devilish form of Xena's dead enemies behind her.


	9. They're Gone

Please review my story. Lots of thanks to the people who do.

...

It's dawn, the sky still dim and slowly glowing brighter. Four horses were riding in the hills, each a different color. One rider was atop of each one. Ares on a black one, Xena on Argo, Gabrielle on a brown one, and Eve on a white one. Xena was in front, just ahead of Ares. Gabrielle tried to catch up with Xena.

"Xena, where are we going?" yelled Gabrielle. "Amphipolis, Gabrielle. I need to gather my family and friends. Otherwise..." "They'll be beaten and tortured by the Dark One, we know, Ares told us." Xena looks from Gabrielle to Ares. "Who are we going to get from there, Mother?" Eve said as she caught up. "Come, on we got, at least, a days ride ahead of us." Xena whipped Argo's reigns to make her go faster. "My mother, and Toris if he's there. Hercules said he was going to visit me there also. So we were going to be going there anyway."

Xena kept her eyes forward. Ares looked at Xena this time. He had a dab of anger in his his eyes. He hated his younger brother, especially since he was the one that took Xena away from him long ago. Hercules was also the one the guided her away from her dark past, therefore Ares had a respect for him in a way.

They rode on, but both Xena and Ares knew that once it started, there was no stop to it. They knew that they had limited time before the Dark One would strike again.

**Under The Earth...**

Hercules is locked up and badly beaten. He was barely even conscious when he saw a shadowy figure in the dark stand before him. "Who are you?" Hercules said in a voice barley over a whisper. The figures voice was deep, "That's none of your concern. What is, however, is your friend, Xena." "What do you want with her." "Tell me where she is, Hercules." "Or?" "Or you will pay with your life." "You don't know much about friendship, do you? I would gladly die for Xena than to tell you where she is." "Very well then. How about you tell me or your friend's soul will suffer eternity in my realm." The figure holds up a human figure by the neck. It's struggling and says in a choking voice, "Hercules." Hercules looks up recognizing the sound of his voice. "Iolaos?" Hercules struggles to get out of the seat he's locked up in. He can't. "Tell me where Xena is Hercules." He tightens his grip on Iolaos's neck. he hesitates then says it, "She's on her way to Amphipolis." "Thank you Hercules." The figure makes the steal cage Hercules is in twice its size. He opens it, still in the dark, and throws Iolaos inside.

In the darkness, the figure calls Callisto over, "Xena's on her way to Amphipolis, I want you to send some of the self revenge people over to her and to take her and her friends down here. Don't kill anyone, yet." Callisto nods, and does as he says. She looks over to Hercules and laughs. She goes into his thoughts and talks to him there. "Hercules, the woman you love is going to die today, and you can do nothing about it. How does that feel?" He curses to himself hearing Callisto's obnoxious laugh as she walks out. He jerks up in his chair as he hears Callisto laugh.

The figure waves his hand and Hercules chains are gone. Being now fully conscious, he runs to the bars of the cage full of anger towards Callisto. He hears is name being called again by Iolaos. He runs over to him and sees him bleeding. "Your mortal," Hercules says surprised. "How?" "I don't know." "It's so good to see you again." "You too." Iolaos gets up, "Where are we?" he asks. They hear a bang and turn around. On the white wall behind them an image of Xena's memory is being played. She is tied on a cross with Caesar and his men standing before her. "Break her legs," Caesar said. One of his men who was holding a huge hammer, walked up to her. The hammer was behind his head, and when he got close enough, brought the hammer to her legs. There was a loud crack and a agonizing scream. "Xena?" Iolaos said. Hercules turned away. It was long and loud. It soon went to black. The room across from them was the 'Revenge By Themselves' room. The heard Caesar laugh followed by the laughter of others. "Hercules?" "We are in a place far worse than hell. It's a place where the warriors Xena killed come, and plot revenge on her. They only have bad memories of Xena's playing on the walls for amusement." "Oh, gods," was the only thing Iolaos could say.

**Back On Earth...**

It's nightfall, they're at Amphipolis. They quickly put the horses in the stables. Xena knocked on the door of her mothers tavern. No answer. She opened the door and found no one inside. She walked by the table in the kitchen and saw a glowing red crack. A wind blew in Xena's face.

She reached down to her boot, drew a dagger, spun around and threw the dagger. Gabrielle stepped back and Callisto appeared. It went through the dead woman. She looked down at it as it hit the floor. "Now, now, Xena. I didn't come for this," Callisto said looking at Xena. "You shouldn't have come at all," Xena said snarling at Callisto. "You know what? Your right." She walked in the crack and it closed behind her.

Xena went to get her dagger. When she turned the whole room was glowing red. Three people were rising from the ground, each one got behind, Eve, Gabrielle and Ares with knives to their necks. Xena froze, she couldn't believe it. Caesar stood behind Ares, Alti stood behind Gabrielle, and Discord stood behind Eve. "Bye, Xena," Caesar said laughing along with Alti and Discord. "Xena!" Ares and Gabrielle yelled. "Mother!" Eve screamed. Ares went under first. Followed by Gabrielle. The ground closed over them. 4/5th of Eve's body was under the ground. Her hand was the only thing out of it. Xena jumped on the ground and reached for her hand through when Xena grabbed her hand. "Eve, She tried to pull Eve up, but Alti stabbed Xena's wrist with the knife. She screamed and let go, the knife lodged in her wrist. Alti laughed as the portal closed over her.

She took the dagger out of her wrist and dropped it on the ground. Blood all over her arm. "No!" She looked at the dagger. Poison was on it, a poison with no cure. She stood up, nothing but anger and hatred showed in her eyes. "The Dark One will pay. From now 'till my death..." She take her chakram off her hip, now with her blood on it, "I will make sure the Dark One doesn't live to see this world."


	10. My Queen, Your Here To Claim Your Crown

Xena is walking out of the tavern, chakram in hand, blood on her wrist and hand. Her eyes had an angry glare that if she was a god would have killed anybody she looked at. No mortal has ever had or witnessed that icey glare before. She gets on Argo and sprints as fast as she can to the forest to where she had first found Callisto, not bothering to wipe the flowing blood from her wrist away.

**Under The Earth...**

Cyrene, Toris, Gabrielle, Eve, and Ares are all seen in the unearthly cave, devil behind each one. When they reached the bottom of the stepped leading to a room, a big hooded figure is standing before them. It's facing away from them staring through a portal watching Xena. "So, Xena's on the path of vengeance. She doesn't know it, but she's exactly where I want her." The hooded figure turns around, dark covering his face so nobody can see. "Tonight, she will fall, and later rise to be a queen who will obey my every word and cause death and destruction to the earth and everyone in it." Inside, Ares was tearing apart. He knew that Xena wouldn't be able to get her powers until dawn the next day and the Dark One is planning for her death tonight. And there's no way to speed up the process. Through the dark, the Dark One looked at Ares. "Get them out of my sight!," he said waving his hand at the others, "This one stays."

Gabrielle tried to fight free of Discords' grip, but Discord just held the blade closer to her neck. Gabrielle eventually stopped feeling the blade start to press harder on her skin. Discord, Morloch, Caesar, and Alti took them out of the room and into the cage with Iolaus and Hercules.

Callisto stayed with Ares and the Dark One, guarding the door so Ares wouldn't run. Almost as if reading Ares mind, the Dark One said to Ares in the lowest of voices, "Your right. Xena can't receive her powers until tomorrow's dawn and I don't intend on anyone speeding up the process. Alti poisoned Xena with a poison with no cure, and now, she's on her way to kill me. She wont be able to. She knows there's no cure for the poison, but she doesn't know how fast it will take to reach to her heart. She and I will battle tonight, and if i don't get to kill her in time, the poison surely will." Ares was dead inside, is heart ripping at his soul. He knew his princess, and her pride got in the way again. "If only she had killed me when I told her to. Why do yo have to pride in the way every time," he thought to himself. "Why are you doing this?" Ares asked. "Why? Haven't you ever wanted to rule the world, next to a suppressing beauty with the rage, passion and fiery like none before? To rule the world with her?" Ares looked down knowing that he was right. "That's what I thought." It was quiet for some while before Ares interrupted the silence, "But why do you need to murder everyone in the world? Zeus will just create more." "Dahak is my brother." Ares was wide-eyed. He knew that he was worse than Dahak, but him also being his brother. That's even worse. "While he wanted to take over the world we got into a fight. He wanted to rule alone and wanted to get me out of the way. After the whole with Gabrielle and Hope, he knew he chose the wrong woman for the job. If Xena had his child, she would have guarded it with her life. It would have been stronger and undefeatable. After he found out he came back to take me out of the picture. Instead, I ended up killing him. I hen realized I was the bigger more powerful one, and I too wanted that power. So, I created the prophecy getting the woman I wanted. I made sure of that. As for the Gods, I don't plan on leaving one alive." "Why do you have me here then?" "Because I couldn't let you die, or have Xena or I kill you. Reason? Because if you die, I die." He turned and motioned for Callisto to take him away, but Ares took out the ring Xena gave to him and put it on. With it's power, he made a knife materialize in his hand. Still turned around, the Dark One said, "Don't bother doing that." Ares dug the knife into himself, hoping his Xena would be safe, just hoping he could just get this curse over with. He took out the blade. Nothing happened. He was shocked. "I gave you back your immortality. Nothing, not even the heinseblood dagger can get rid of you by your own hand. Only me and my Queen can do that." Callisto grabbed him. "Oh and Callisto." She looked over to her master. "Yes?" She hated calling him _Master_ or _My Lord_. "Make sure they have an unpleaset stay." Callisto smiled and took him away. Ares said nothing.

Callisto locked each person up in a small cell. Everyone was locked in a chair that kept their head straight, looking forward, their hands and feet were locked to the chairs, being forced to watch images a bad time with them and Xena or of times they absolutely hated about Xena to torment them in way unimaginable. Except they werent regular images. They were physical images, images that you thought you could hold and touch, they were so realistic. It was like a ghostly image that if you touched it only went right through. All these images cut into their soul.

Gabrielle was locked in a cell where a physical image played of when their friendship didn't work out. Images from Illusia, and in the land of Chin when she betrayed her. The worst one was when she saw the images of when they were at the funeral of Solan. "No. No' don't you even say his name. I trusted you and you lied to me. Now, Solans' dead. Solan's dead because of you." When Gabrielle heard Xena's image say that, she started baling. Tears dripping down her face. "I'm sorry, Xena," Gabrielle kept repeating.

Eve was in the next one. Except she was already crying. She saw the physical images of When she was Livia. "Eve, I'm your mother. I love you." "I hate you! My name is Livia! Your not my mother, Rome is my mother." As Eve saw her say that stuff to her mother, then she saw Xena and Gabrielle talking about her in a cabin and Xena crying, she couldn't help but close her tearful eyes. "Mother, I never ment any of that stuff, and you know it. I'm sorry." One more tear fell down her cheek.

Cyrene and Toris were in the same room. They saw the images of Cyrene and Toris yelling at Xena and blaming Xena for Lyceus' death and kicking her out of Amphipolis not forgiving her until 2-4 years later. Cyrene was crying while Toris was screaming.

Iolaus saw images Xena's death. He did have some small feelings for Xena, but they were just good friends. He cried seeing Xena's deaths.

Hercules was tormented seeing images of Xena and Ares together. He hated his older brother, but he also did have a large amount of feelings for Xena the way Ares did. He was jealous when he saw those images. It hurt him inside s much. He saw the time Xena and Ares were at the Bacchanalia. When they were in Amphipolis, and the dreams Ares gave Xena about her being able to trust Ares and so much more. Hercules screamed at the top of his lungs. He hated the fact that they were together. he hated Ares even more for giving her those dreams.

Ares had the worst. He was already screaming. He was watching Images of when he was never there by her side even though he promised. Every time he tormented her, betrayed her, hurt her. He hated himself for it. He saw the scenes of the Romans breaking her legs, her two crusify, letting her drink the poison. Every time he could have been there done something. He saw images of making her evil, making her insane, pretending to be her father, saying to give her a child or he would tell his family about Eve and have them kill her. If only he'd never done those things. He hated himself, more than anything in the world. His screams were so loud Xena heard it from on earth

**Back On Earth...**

As she was riding she heard Ares scream and stopped dead in her tracks. As she imagined what he could have been going through she put Argo back in a sprint, urging Argo to go faster.

It's night when Xena makes it to her destination. She gets off Argo and says her goodbyes to her, as if she would never see her again. Argo gallops off out of sight. Xena turns around and kneels down. With her chakram she cuts at the ground. A red glow starts emerging through the crack she's made. That's when she hears the voice, a very familiar voice. "My Queen, so you've come to gain your crown." "No..." But before she could finish, a glowing red whip-like object grabbed her and wrapped around her arms and waist. It then pulled her in.


	11. Your Mine, Xena

Only an hour ago, it'd thrown her hard on the ground. Only Ares was locked in a chair, forced to watch the upcoming events. "Xena?" Ares asked, unsure if she was still alive or not. Xena was laying on the ground, trickles of blood coming from her mouth. She stirred, slightly twitching her head. Ares sighed with relief that she was alive.

Xena brought her hand up to her head, and groaned. She slowly opened her eyes and quickly sat up. She winced at the pain that shot up her back and stomach. "You okay?" Ares asked. All he got in return was a cold stare. "Just a question," he said defensively. She slowly got up, despite the pain throughout her body. "Where are we?" Xena asked looking at the red surroundings. "Don't know. All I know is that your centered around everything here. It's a bad place, worse then hell, that's for sure and trust me I would know," Ares responded.

Xena looked at how Ares was locked up. "Come on. Let's get you out of here," Xena said walking over to him. She touched the black chains that held Ares to the chair, but once she did, she pulled away in shock and pain, seeing a bad burn on her fingers. "Xena, Xena, Xena," an all to familiar voice repeated. She and Ares looked up to where they thought they heard the voice. In the dark stood a hooded figure, pointing at how Ares was placed in the chains. "I can't let you do that, Xena," the figure said putting his hand down, "We have plans." "Well your just gonna have to deal," she responded, taking out her sword. "I don't think so, Xena. You see, your mine."

A blue fire ball appeared in his hand. He threw it at her sword. The sword flew out of Xena's with a force so strong, the sword shattered in 7 pieces. Xena looked black at her sword in time to see the 7 parts of the sword come to a top on the floor. She turned around to face the Dark One. She didn't know what he looked like, but she knew he was smiling under black. She growled at him, and took out her chakram. Another fire ball formed in his hand, again, he threw it at her, but she blocked the blue fire of energy, with the silver blade of the metal, making it bounce back at him. Once it hit his chest, he flew backward, but landed right back on his feet. "Can can do better than that, can't you?" he asked standing up. "Funny," she said taking a step towards him, "I was just about to ask you the same thing." He threw 9 more fire balls at her, only finding her to redirect each fire ball to the opposite end of the wall, having small rocks starting to tumble down. "Your good. Ares was right to pick you as his chosen," he said, "Let's see how good you are with a weapon in hand-to-hand combat. He took out his sword as she split her chakram in two. They fought for hours, both evenly matched, never getting to lay a mark on each other. As they were fighting the poison started to kick in. Xena dropped her weapons and put both hands on her head. She backed away bending down in pain, slightly moaning at the pain.

That was his chance.

"Xena! Watch it!" Ares yelled trying to get her back in the game. Ares knew what was happening, but he couldn't risk loosing her again. The figure ran over to the already pained Xena. Xena looked up just before he jumped on her knocking her to the floor on her back. She staggered at the force. This pain plus the poison, it was too much. It hurt almost as much as when she'd broken her spine. He sat on top of her, holding her arms and legs down with a godly force. It pinned her to the ground, she didn't do anything. She couldn't do anything even if she'd wanted to. From on top of her, the Dark One took out a dagger. He slowly and seductively dragged the dagger from her knee, to over her thigh, from her stomach, to her chest, from her throat, to under her chin. "Once I kill you, you'll be mine, both body and soul." She tightly closed her eyes at the pain she was in. "Look at me," he said. She kept her eyes closed. "Look at me," he started to get angry, "Look at me!" When she kept her eyes closed, he took the dagger and thrusted it into her upper thigh blood trickled down her thigh hitting the ground. She arched her back up in pain and screamed. "No! Xena!" Ares screamed back seeing the already big puddle of blood on the ground under her, "Get away from her!" The Dark One looked from the screaming Xena to Ares. "Shut up!" He took his hand off the dagger and made a force hit the war god so hard it knocked him out, even the chair flew back.

The screaming stopped. "I'll never be yours." The Dark One looked back at Xena. She somehow manage to escape the power keeping her to the ground. She rolled them over so that she was on top. Without any hesitation, Xena slid the hood off the Dark One.

She gasped and slowly moved back. She crawled off him, staring at his face. She crawled as far as she could until her back hit a wall. He got up and followed her. A sword materialized in his hand. She couldn't react. He lifted the sword above her. "Surprised?" he said. "You look just like..." she looked over to Ares. "Your lover? Yes, I look exactly like Ares. Now this is going to look like you died by his hand." He plunged the sword in her chest. She choked, her eyes widened, blood poring down her body. She turned her head to Ares. "I...Love..You...Ares." She inhaled her last breath, starring at her unconscious lover. "Goodbye..." Her eyes closed and her chest fell, releasing her last breath. "My queen," the Dark One said, picking up her body from the puddle of blood on the ground. He turned and materialized, taking Xena's body with him. "My queen."


	12. Awakening

Xena is in a long black silk gown, lying on a red bed. Her body is cleaned off, and her wounds are healed. The Dark One is sitting in the chair, watching her.

On Olympus...

"I have gathered you here today because of the prophecy," Zeus said to the other gods at the meeting council. "So it's real, I thought it was just a rumor Ares made up to get us all worked up," Athena said to Zeus. "Unfortunately no," Zeus answered. "Well then we need Xena!" Hephaestus said aloud. "Ares has been stolen by Mitlick," Zeus announced. Gasps filled the room. "Isn't he..." someone asked. "Dahak's brother," Zeus announced. "Plus we can't get Warrior Babe anyway. I heard Ares' screams. She's dead," Aphrodite said looking down. "Don't you see? He's probably developed enough power to kill all of us!" Strife said. "Enough!" Zeus yelled throwing a lightening ball at a golden bowl on the table. It made a loud noise, silencing the yelling gods. "Aphrodite, please explain," Zeus said in a calm voice. "Well, it happened twice. When Discord killed Warrior Babe, he gave up his powers to save Xe. But, all of a sudden they ended up in his realm and when Warrior Babe went down to battle Mitlick, he killed her. When Ares saw Xe gone and blood on the ground, he got on his knees and screamed." Aphrodite covered her ears, "I can still hear them, it burns me inside knowing my bro's love is gone. It's the prophecy. Since you guys, wouldn't listen to Ar, he told me. It says that if she dies, Mitlick will bring her back and force her to give him like, millions of children to destroy the world. The only way to stop this is for Xe to kill Ar. But Ar has his powers back. Plus, Xe wont do it. And Warrior Babe already died, therefore having the prophecy go on." Silence filled the room. "Dismissed," Zeus said to the other gods. They materialized to their quarters.

Under The Earth...

Ares was still screaming, both hands in her blood. After hours of mourning her death, something struck him. Seeing her blood on his hands, he turned back into his old self, not lost in greed, but lost in anger, "He will pay for this. Everyone will pay." He stood up and eyes turned back into the cold ones he used to have. He took out his sword and stared at it, closed his eyes and disappeared as a flash of blue light.

In a Room Under the Earth...

Mitlick is staring at Xena. Callisto comes through the hallway and enters the stone room. "What do you want you demon?" he says not taking his eyes off her. Callisto rolled her eyes, hating the way he addressed her, "I got the whip and chains you asked for." "Put it next to her on the bed," he snapped back, "now leave my sight." Callisto leaves the room, a look of anger on her face.

Mitlick looked at the chains and back at Xena. He got up and materialized the chains in the other room. He walked to the bed and picked up Xena's limp body and materialized also.

Back On Earth...

It was day now, and as always war was taking its toll on a few hundred mortals. But now is different. War wasn't being caused by mortals, but by war itself.

Ares was slaughtering dozens on innocents by the millions. In his path are a few villages with mortals going on with their easy lives not knowing what great danger is heading its path. They will soon end up like the other 100 villages Ares had destroyed. Fire, blood a death to everyone in it, man, woman, child. He cares for nothing anymore, not his sister, not war, not even himself. Just revenge on the loss of his chosen.

Blood was on his skin, hands, face, yet he didn't care. He just kept throwing fireballs at anyone or anything. Turning people to ashes. Swinging his sword violently at nearby villagers.

One image seems to be eating at his soul, the image of her blood staining the ground, the Dark One's weapon in the pile of blood. Being her god, her felt her pain those few seconds, though being unable to wake. He heard what she had said and was able to see through his eyelids of what had happened. He lost himself then. When she died, to him the pain felt like a needle slowly being driven through his chest like a spear. It was unbearable. But he kept reminding himself something he said to Xena a long time ago, "Pain is natures way of saying 'hey, your alive." He didn't feel alive though.

After destroying the last 9 villages in the past hour, he soon came to Amphipolis, Xena's hometown. He didn't realize it at first until a memory of him first seeing Xena here when she was fifteen popped in his mind. The villagers starred at him, but he ignored them. He dropped his sword and walked into a building in the town. No one followed.

Lyceus, Xena's brothers' grave was there. Xena hadn't known it yet, but her mother too, was dead. She died of too much torment under the earth. Ares made Cyrene a grave. He looked at the graves and took out a necklace. It was a Chakram with a glass for the inside of it. The glass contained a red liquid, a small portion of Xena's blood. He stared at it and put it in a box he had materialize in his hand. It had the design of her arm pads on it with her name engraved in gold on the top. He mad a stand appear next to lyceus' grave. He placed the box on it and materialized away as a flash of blue light.

Two boys came into the room to see where the mysterious man went. They looked all around the room but couldn't find him. Then they looked at the new thing in the room. It read, 'Here lies Xena Warrior Princess. Chosen and Lover of the God of War. Mother to Eve and Solan. Best Friend to Gabrielle. Will forever be the best warrior that ever lived.' They looked at each other sadly. Xena was their hero. They looked at the stand. and in bold words it said, 'Made and Honored by the God of War.'

Under the Earth...

Gabrielle, Hercules, Iolaos, Eve, Torres, and many others were lined up in a line. 400 people, friends and family or Xena's were tied by the feet and hands. They were gagged at the mouth. Behind each person was an enemy of Xena's holding a whip. But everyone of Xena's friends and family weren't worried about them. Instead, their attention was directed at the Dark One. He was in a red power field with Xena's body in a black dress. She was being hung by the chains by her wrists and ankles. Her body was in an X shape. Everyone stood in horror at the events that might unfold.

In Tartarus...

"Hades please, if you take my soul I could probably hold Xena here and stop the prophecy from happening. I can't die, Mitlick made sure of that but you can hold my soul for the time being. Please I need to save Xena. I have no reason to live without her," Ares begged Hades. "No, Ares," Hades said. "Please, all Im doing is killing everybody. Thats all I will do until I know she's at peace. Please, lets just say for your sake," Ares continued to beg. Hades was silent for a few minutes, "I'll think about it."

Ares smiled and reappeared in the halls of war. But soon a force took over him. He appeared under the earth with his powers gone and was chined to a chair. He looked at his surroundings. He saw the line of people he knew all in one relation. Xena. He saw Xena's body in the black silk dress. "Xena," he said to himself. Then he saw a figure walk next to her, Mitlick. His eyes turned cold.

Suddenly, Xena started to glow a red color as Mitlick touched her stomach. Her chest rose and she was alive. The red faded as Mitlick removed his hand. Her eyes were still closed, but she was alive. Ares, heart leaped with excitement, but he didn't want to show any emotion in front on Mitlick. The, Xena head lifted and she glowed with a red of her own. She broke the chains and as if laying on something floated in the air. she was lowered as the red glow faded and was laying on the ground. She opened her blue orbs to see Ares. "Xena," Ares said as he slowly faded away.


	13. Who is Who

Xena looked at Ares and watched him fade away. Instantly she got up, not bothering to react to the stiffness her body was in. She went to where the red energy field was and touched it. It wouldn't let her pass through. She backed up a few steps and threw a red fireball at it. The energy field absorbed it. She tightly closed her eyes, taking in that bit of information. She opened her eyes and turned around. She circled. While circling him, she yelled, "What the hell is going on here?" "Well, as you can see, I've brought you back to life. But before that, I cleansed your body and healed your wounds. I soaked it in my blood, therefore giving me the power to own you both body and soul."

She ran to him with all her force with her arm out. She backed him up to the wall with her arm pressing down at his neck. "Now you listen! No one owns me. I pretty much own myself!. I want real answers, not that crap that comes from your mouth about owning me!" she spat. As if not threatened by her words, Mitlick leaned his head closer to hers. Xena stared into his eyes angrily. He just stared back. "Well you see, Xena. The truth is..." He he but both arms around her back grabbing her opposite hands. She was locked in his grip, "you are mine." She tried jerking her hands away, but he just tightened his grip. She eyed him. He stayed still, then quickly moved down to kiss her. He crushed his lips on hers.

But she didn't kiss him back. She kneed him in the groin, hard. He doubled over in pain. "I always wondered if that worked on a god," she smirked and walked the opposite direction. He materialized in front of her. Without stopping and without eye contact, she walked past him. again he materialized in front of her, "Damn the gods! Your just like Ares in that way!" "I am him after all," he responded. "No' your not!" she looked in his eyes with anger and calmed herself, "Keep out of my way." Xena turned around. He was there. Angered, she threw a red fireball at him. He absorbed it.

She gave up. There was nothing else to do. She she stared at her friends and family. "My Queen." Not wanting to ignore him after last time, she answered harshly, "What." "Call to Ares," he answered. She looked up at him in confusion, "Why!?" "Just do it!" he yelled. She looked back at her friends and family. She hesitated and closed her eyes, in her mind she called his name, but there was no answer. She said his name out loud, no answer. Mitlick pulled her head back by her hair, "Why isn't he answering, Xena?" She didn't want to admit it but she was scared. She didn't know what was going to happen to her, or to him for that matter. "Answer me!" he yelled. "I don't know?" she said back. He hit her in the back of the head. It slammed hard on the ground. But she acted as if it didn't hurt.

Xena then gasped in pain her bond was broken. It was like her soul had died. "Ares," she said in a pained voice. She held her stomach and fell on her knees. Mitlick tilted her chin up at him. With his other hand, he lightly put it on her face. "Sleep," he said as she closed her eyes and fell in his arms. He picked her up and looked at Callisto. They both nodded, then he left with the goddess in his arms.

Callisto told the other demons to gather up all the mortals. They forced the still tied up mortals into the red energy field with their whips. With blood on their backs, the mortals all sat or lied on the ground. Callisto and the others left them their to wonder what in Zeus's name had just happened.

**In Tartarus...**

"Hades there was a mistake..." ares tried to explain to his uncle. "No there wasn't I sent back Xena's soul, and had it trade places with yours. Exactly what you asked for," Hades said. "Yes, but listen. It wasn't you who sent back Xena's soul, it was Mitlick. You have to send me back!" he yelled. "Fine, but next time I ask for something you better grant it without hesitation," Hades said having Ares make his way back to the Halls of War on Olympus.

He materialized under the earth with his loves' friends and family in the energy field. He walked over to it. and touched it. It burned his skin. He stepped back and threw a fireball at it, but it just absorbed it. Unable to help the, he stepped back. he took another look at them. They were staring at him as if they were afraid he would kill them if they moved. He just turned and walked away to find Xena.

He ran by a room calling her name. He looked to the right. And there she was, in a room, sleeping in the long black gown on the red bed. He walked in and sat next to her with relief. He lifted her head up. She woke. "Xena," he said with a smile. "Get away from me," she said and pulled away. "Xena?" he was confused. "No, don't touch me," she got a little louder. "Xena!?" he came running in. "Xena!" he said with relief and surprise, "I thought I lost you." Her eyes widened with shock. He hugged her. In shock she slowly lifted her hands and hugged him back, open mouthed and eyes wide. He pulled back and looked at her. "Xena, what's wrong?" "What in Zeus's name?" the one by the bed said in shock as the one that hugged her turned around and also in shock stared at the other. Xena stood in shock staring at the two lookalikes. In her mind one question came up, 'Who is Ares and who is Mitlick?'


	14. Pain Through Bonds

"Xena whats going on?" the one closest to her asked. She closed her mouth and masked her face with a straight one. "Ok," she said suddenly passing around the two staring at the floor, "One of you is my god while the other is, some bastard that has killed many innocents throughout his days. The question is..." The one by the bed looked down. She stopped and looked up at the one who was by the bed, "Who is who?" She looked into his eyes. "Xena?" he said confused. She walked to the other one. And looked into his eyes. She parted her lips. She kissed him. He kissed her back

It was long and passionate. She grabbed the back of his head while he grabbed her waist. She closed her eyes and dived into a sensation of a godly power that she would have completely fell for if she knew that he was the real Ares.

Then, in the middle of passion she felt a jolt of pain coming from her heart and pulled back out of his embrace, disgusted. She wiped off her lips. "Mitlick," she growled in a low voice. She backed up into Ares embrace. He held her possessively, hoping nothing happens again to his chosen. Both Xena and Ares glared daggers at Mitlick hoping that they will soon get the upper hand on him.

"No, Xena. Now you listen to me, please. I..." he started to say in a soft voice. "No," she looked at Ares and back. "As your patron god..." Xena closed her eyes and rolled her head. She had her mouth open in anger, "No. No you listen. Ares had never commanded me to do anything before. He's had that chance for as long as I became his chosen, but it's alway been a problem for him. I doubt he'd start now," she said. She looked at Ares and still in his embrace, she swung her hand up and materialized them in the Halls of War.

Mitlick stood there in silence and listened to her words. He then materialized as a flash of blue light.

Xena walked out of Ares embrace and into her room. "Damn him to tartarus," Xena muttered under her breath as he walked in, "and these cloths." She walked over to her bed and lied down. Ares looked at how the tight black dress fit over her body, showing her sharp curves and flat stomach. It was a spaghetti-strap v-neck with a lace on the top of it. The skirt of the dress flowed down to the ground with a long slit on the right side showing her long leg. "Well, Xena, I have to say he does have good taste," he said still looking her over. As she saw his eyes wonder, she rolled her eyes, "To bad." With a snap, she changed from the dress, into her leather tunic without the armor on it. "To be honest, I much prefer the dresses you give me or that aren't given to me by a pathetic excuse for a god."

He didn't say anything in response, he just smirked and kept quiet. Xena closed her eyes. After a few minutes, he asked, "Xena?" She kept her eyes closed but lifted an eyebrow. "Back there under the earth, how did you know it was me?" She opened her eyes and looked at him slight in shock that he asked this question. "Ares, your my god, I'm your chosen we have a bond that can't be broken, not even in death. When we both were mortal I felt your bond. Because of that, I was able to feel your pain when I kissed him," she said. He walked closer to her. "I'm sorry I did, I just needed to know which was the right one," she said tensing a little as he came closer. She opened her mouth to speak again, but he put a finger over her lips to silence her, "Xena, it's ok."

He slowly leaned in to kiss her. It was a short sweet kiss, then he pulled back. He looked into her eyes Xena looked from his lips to his eyes. She leaned in and closed her eyes, after glancing at his lips again. They kiss a long passionate, bruising kiss. She grabbed the back of his head and he gripped her waist. Ares brought up his hand up and slipped the straps off of her shoulders. Then he brought his hands to her back and started unlacing it.

She pulled back and turned around. "I can't do this," she said pulling up her straps and looking at the ground. He walked over to her from behind and put his hands on her shoulders, "Sure you can." She turned around no, if we do and Mitlick finds out, he would surly kill the child before its bor..." She didn't finish he sentence, she looked in eyes for a long time. She backed up.

"No, no. Oh gods, please no," she said. "I wouldn't kill our children, Xena, they'd be to important to me." She looked down and clutched her stomach. "No." She looked up at him, "You son of a b..." She put both arms on her stomach and collapsed on the floor in screams. She looked up at him in pain.

**Under the Earth...**

Was trying to find a way for Xena's friends and family to escape. He was soon able to untie them, but that was the most he could do.

Unable to hear outside of the energy field, everyone soon realized that Mitlick and Ares looked like the exact same being.

Ares was looking at them, thinking about Xena. Then he felt her pain. Instantly he materialized to the Halls of War.

Her ran into Xena's quarters. Once he reached it he stopped dead in his tracks. A look of shock washed over his face. He saw, again, her floating high above the ground as if she was on a bed. She wasn't screaming anymore, though he still felt her pain. Under her, on the ground there was an open glowing red hole that had two glowing red, snake-like object coming up and wrapping around Xena. He saw Mitlick laying on the bed, just watching her. Xena's eyes were closed, mouth was open and her head was back. "Xena!" Ares screamed. Mitlick looked at him without tempting to move. Xena opened her eyes and looked at Ares. "No, Ares stop," she looked at Ares with pleading eyes. "Xena, why are..." he said looking at her in confusion. "It's the only thing that stops the pain."


	15. Impregnated

"Xena, what's is this? Why are you in a white dress? What's going on?" Ares asked. Xena hesitated. "I fert..." Mitlick started to say with a smile on his face. "I asked my chosen! You keep out of it!" he yelled holding a fireball above his head about ready to throw it at him, wanting so badly to turn him to ashes. "Ares," a teardrop fell on the floor, "I had too, he held a dagger to Eve's throat." "You had to what, Xena?" Another teardrop fell on the floor. She closed her wet eyes, not baring to say it out load. He closed his eyes, allowing her to give him a flashback before he made it in the halls of war.

**Earlier...**

She looked up at him in pain, "What did you do to me?" "He started pacing around the room, "Before I brought you back, I cursed your soul, if you don't willingly give yourself to me, you will be cursed to a tremendous amount of pain in you stomach. The only way to stop it is through fertilization." He stopped and looked at her. She looked up at him. For a moment the pain stopped. She shed a tear in anger. She got up and wrapped her hand around his neck and tightly gripped his throat. "I'd rather rot in hell before baring your child," she tightened her grip before letting go. She turned around.

"I see but what if you had a choice between baring my children or losing Eve?" Mitlick said turning to face her. Thats when the serious pain started. She screamed and fell on her side, eyes closed. It took her awhile, but when she finally had a little control over it, she stopped screaming and opened her eyes. They widened. "Mother?" Eve said afraid for herself and her mother. "Eve!" Mitlick held a dagger to her throat, "Xena, take your pick." "What's going on?" Eve asked in horror. She didn't say anything. "Xena, you didn't give yourself to me, now you have to make this choice. Now do it!" Mitlick yelled. Finally realizing what Mitlick was saying, Eve spoke up, "No, mother, listen. That's not what Eli would want isn't it Xena. I'm the messenger of peace, your my mother." "That's exactly the reason why you need to stay alive?" Xena said. "What about Ares?" Xena was quiet, "What will he think?" Mitlick pressed the dagger about to ready to slit Eve's throat.

Eve held her breath, taking in what was coming to her. Blood started dripping down Eve's chest. "Alright," Mitlick looked at Xena, "just let her go." "Mother, no!" "After all I've been through with you, after all the things we've been through, you can't die now. You don't deserve it." "Mom!" Eve raised her voice. Xena raised her hand and waved it in the air. Eve disappeared.

"I don't want you to touch a hair on my daughters head. Or any one of those people out there," she said. He walked towards her. As he was doing so he waved a hand and changed Xena into a white dress. Xena didn't care, she just kept looking at him in disgust. A red ball of light formed in his hands. He lowered his hands with the energy in his hands. Xena looked at the ceiling knowing that a lot of pain was going to be involved in the fertilization process. He slowly pushed it into her stomach. She jolted up and screamed in pain, sounding much worse that when her legs were broken on the cross.

The same thing happened one-million times. Then he backed up on her bed and lifted up his hand. A hole appeared in the ground, and red snake-like object came up from the hole, wrapped around the screaming Xena. It lifted her up as if she was lying on the bed. She stopped screaming and her pain was relieved.

That was when Ares came in.

**Now...**

Ares quickly opened his eyes and looked at Xena. Xena kept her eyes closed. "Xena?" Ares said in shock. Another tear dropped on the floor, "Ares, I'm sorry." Ares looked from Xena to Mitlick, anger stretch on every inch of his face, "No one can hurt the God of Wars chosen without paying a price." "Ares, don't," Xena said as soon as his back faced her. Ares rolled his eyes in his head and ignored her. Then he put an arm back and formed a red fireball and threw it at Mitlick. "Ares!"Xena yelled.

Mitlick flew back. Xena fell into the hole, black caves at every 10 feet she fell down. Ares materialized in the hole and caught Xena. She smiled, but Ares had an Angry glare on his face.

He materialized on Olympus and walked into Zeus's throne room. "Hey, dad," Ares stressed the word dad. Zeus looked up surprised, "Son," then Zeus's expression changed instantly as soon as he saw Xena, "You disobeyed my orders, you went to get her. I told you not to..." "Yeah, yeah, yeah. I got it. Listen..." Ares interrupted, putting Xena down. "I banish you to a year of..." Zeus was interrupted by a red energy of light hitting his chest. "Now lets try to keep up cause I don't know if your old ears can take it. And I'm kinda in a rush. One, you are not banishing Ares to a year of mortality. I need either you, your wife's or Athena's help to deal with some very important matters." Zeus looked at Xena in shock as she turned and walked passed Ares. He raised his hand about ready to take her powers from her. Xena stopped walking and slightly turned her head, "And don't try taking my powers from me. It wont work." Xena walked out. Ares looked at Zeus who was still lying on the ground in shock. Ares smirked, "Nice job, dad. Getting a woman pissed, even when she is a goddess." He ran after Xena.

They were walking to Hera's throne room. "Ya know what, Ares?" Xena asked as he walked up to her. He looked at her but she kept her eyes forward. "I hate your father just as much as you do."

They walked into Hera's throne room. "Hera," Xena said. "Xena, Ares," she said back, "I know now your a goddess, Xena. What brings you here?" Xena looked at Ares and back, "Your the goddess of family and childbirth. I need your help." "What with," Hera said. "An Abortion."

Hera got up and looked out the window behind her, "I'm afraid I can't do that, Xena." "Why not?" Xena said eyes wide and in both fear and shock. Hera looked at Xena, "Two reasons. One, Your body is under Mitlick control. You're like his doll, his play-toy. He controls what happens to you." "And the second," Xena said still in fear. Hera looked away, "It's forbidden for me to say."


	16. One Thought Plumaged Her Mind

Xena closed her eyes and turned away with no emotion, taking in the news of what just happened. "Xena," Ares was about to say when all of a sudden Xena interrupts, "Ares, I need you to do something for me." "What?" Xena turned around and grabbed his hands. She closed his hands into fists but left his pointer and middle-finger out. She put his fingers at both sides of her neck. Ares looked at where they were placed, then he looked back up. "No, Xena. Your acting suicide. I'm not gonna do it." He was about to take his hand off her neck, but she grabbed them and held them there. "Ares." "No, Xena. It's a rule. A god can't draw blood from his chosen unless Zeus forces it." He turned around.

Ares looked back, as she collapsed on the ground. He ran to her. Her eyes were closed and heart was racing 20 times as fast as normal. Hera ran over to them. Ares then realized, she did a pressure point to her heart that clogs the veins, blocking off and blood circulation in and out of the heart. It's fatal and kills in less than 1 minute. He picked her up and materialized into the snowy mountains where she spent the 25 years of her life sleeping agelessly. He put her in a ice casket to slow her body and heart-rate down. To keep her from dying.

"Dammit, Xena!" he said out loud. You know your the only one that knows that pressure-point. I can't take it off. That's probably why you did it too. "Gods, your so stubborn."

Hera then appeared with Athena. Then Hera left. "Ares, how did you escape?! I thought Mitlick had you..." She then saw Xena. "I'm not helping you save her," she said. "Athena!" he yelled making Xena somewhat flinch. "She kill me, along with most of the other gods. Plus if I don't save her her she'll die along with those bloody children of hers. Then, ha ha! The world is saved," she said sarcastically. "Athena, Mitlick will just revive her soul again and corrupt her even more than she is now," Ares said. "We're gods what should we care." "He'll come for us, too!" Fine, but if she so much as raises a hand against me in battle, it'll be her life."

Athena closed her eyes and held her hand up over Xena with a orange ball of energy in them. She lowered them and she flew back into the ice. "She got up a little shaky after the fall, "I can't, she put a force around her. Seems only mitlick can do that." Athena disappeared.

"I'm sorry," Ares picked her up and Materialized under the earth. He saw Mitlick and Mitlick walked over to him with a smile, "I see you've brought me my toy." He took Xena from Ares arms. "She stopped her heart. Your the only..." Ares said interrupted by Mitlick, "The only one who could use power on her, I know." He woke Xena up with a snap. She gasped and looked up a Mitlick then at Ares. Then Callisto sent Caligula and Caesar over to her who grabbed her by the arms. A look of confusion that suddenly changed to realization and then hatred for both Ares and Mitlick. They took her away.

They took her into a room of darkness and locked the cage door. Suddenly she saw an exact replica of herself looking at Ares holding the dagger of helios to his neck. "I warned you about getting in my way." he said to her in anger. "You just took the words right out of my mouth. Make a move on me, please," she stressed the word please. "A dagger, your going to have to do better than that," he said in a mocking expression. She pressed the dagger down harder. "the dagger of Helios, so know I don't." "How did you get it?" he sys surprised and with fear." "Lets just say I have friends in high places," she says back.. "Even if you kill me,you've already lost. Eli's dead," he yells. "Then it's only fair that you pay for his life with yours," she says about ready to plunge the dagger into him. Then she remembers a seres of events from the past of Eli.. "Come on, do it!" he yells. "When you killed Eli, you made sure his cause would never die. It's what he wanted, Ares. You played right into his hands. Now your hoping that I'll play into yours," she said in realization. "Sounds to me like the rationale of a coward he responded. "I'm going to do worse than kill you. I'm going to spare your life," she said dropping the dagger, turning around and walking away. Ares pick up the dagger and walks up behind Xena. He held her holding the dagger to her throat. "And what makes you think I'm going to spare yours." Then it paused and materialized away.

Xena turned around and saw another version of her. Atrius turns into Ares., "Yes, Ares. I thought about it for a long time. What could I do to win you back,? Money, power? then it hit me, daddy? It was so glorious. You did everything I wanted.. You killed soldiers. You even left your pesky little friend for me. I knew that ruthless warrior was still inside you. And now your back where you belong. This is your army Xena. I had it created for you. And it feels good doesn't it? Leading an army into battle for the glory of Ares." he says circling her. "Give up on me Ares. I'm never coming back," she said looking him in the eyes. "I know what's in your heart. There's a reason I played the part of Atrius so well," he said back. "YOur not my father," she snarled. "What is a father, Xena?A man who guides you, who teaches you how to live your life. I did it all for you. And I'll never let you go," he says with a smile as she charged at him. They fight and he grabs her head by the hair and pulls it back, "So foolish! waisting your talents on these pitiful villagers. Let me make it easy for you. Join me or Die," he says as he knees her head. "Go ahead, kill me. I'd rather die than come back to you." It fades in the air.

Again, Xena turns around. Ares is leaning on a tree, "She's something isn't she.? She's nearly racked up the body count you had at your age," he said with a smirk. "She's my daughter you sick bastard," she responded. "Why do you think it was so easy to turn her? Look, this is all blood under the bridge. You give me a child, the other gods will never find out that Eve is still alive,' he said. She turned around to face him, "I'd rather go to hell." Angry and stormed over to Xena a harshly grabbed her shoulder, violently shaking her, "I'm not asking you, I'm telling you! You give me what I want or I will bring all of Olympus down on your daughters head!" "The thought of being with you or of having your child, that sickens me," she said as she walked away.

The vision faded. She put her hands to her head, trying to stop the images from appearing. She closed her eyes and another one came. "That Virgil is one angry guy," Ares said leaning on a tree, "I can't say I blame him." "Get lost," Xena said mourning the death of her friend. "But he shouldn't hate Livia, should he? You're the one he should hate. You could have prevented all of this, but no. Joxer is dead because the thought of me made you sick. Ok. But if I sicken your soul, stopping Livia will kill it."

Xena slowly lifted her head from her hands so only her eyes could be seen. Her face was angry and red with rage. Angry tears fell from her eyes. She lifted her head to the sky, or whatever was left from it. A red and black light of rage lifted from Xena. Burning anything within it's range. Only one thing plumaged her mind, negative images full of hatred towards one, "Ares!"


	17. Where Is She?

A half beaten guard walks in on Ares and Mitlick, "My Lord, Xena has escaped." Mitlick turned around anger on his face. Ares has a look of relief and glory on his face, "Thats my Xena," he says under his breath. "Where is she?" Mitlick says. "I don't know, my lord." "Send up Caesar and pompey to find her," he said back. "Yes, my lord."

Back On Earth...

Caesar and Pompey are walking. Looking for any sign of Xena. "So, I heard Brutus killed you," Caesar said with a smile. "Where'd you here that?" Pompey said confused. "He brought back your head." "Xena killed me." Caesar looked at him with a smile, "Xena killed you?" "I went up behind her with a dagger and she cut off my head. Yes, Xena killed me. Now it's your turn," Pompey said. Caesar looked back still looking for any sign of Xena. "How did you die?" Pompey said looking at him with a smile on his face. "You want to know how I died, As I was going to announce me being emperor, Brutus and other members of the council stabbed me in the chest 37 times." "Did Xena have any part in it?" Pompey smirked. "She set it in motion before I crucified her." Pompey laughed then stopped, "You crucified Xena." "Her chakram was throne at her back by her enemy Callisto. The Chakram is made out of Hephaestus metal, an unbreakable metal, so I don't know how, but it broke when it hit her back, braking her back in the process. So I crucified her." "Then how is she alive." "Just know something, Pompey. Nothing ever stops Xena," Caesar said while they walked up a hill. They're eyes widened, seeing dead Romans and smoke going for miles. Dead bodies everywhere, "As I say pompey. nothing ever stops Xena. Nothing."

The dead bodies went on for 97 miles. Every person either had an arrow in the throat, sword stabbed through the heart, head cut, limbs scattered, burned to ashes, or a huge, steaming ditch in their chest from of fireball. "Who are these men?" Pompey asked, "They are romans, but..." "These were my men Pompey," Pompey looked at Caesar, "When Mitlick took me in, I went up and ordered a huge banned of troops to a reformation and that when the time comes, they can kill Xena and become wealthy afterwords."

They found one man that was still breathing. He coughed up blood, "Caesar." They ran over to him, "What exactly happened here?" We saw a woman riding. She had the strength and beauty like you said of Xena." Pompey looked at Caesar, "Beauty?" "Quiet," Caesar responded. "The million of us shot arrows at her. They went through but had no effect. She just pulled them out and threw them back at us. We shot catapults at her but she deflected them towards us. We finally attacked her but she flipped off of her horse and killed all of us. She's like a god. She's unstoppable. She's incredible," The man said with a smile, "She came up behind me. I didn't even know it. She put this thing on my neck. I couldn't move or breath. Blood gushed out of my nose. She said to me exactly, 'Tell your leader, Caesar, that I knew about this army from the start. Tell him that I hate both Mitlick and Ares and that now it'll be easy to kill Ares now and stop Mitlick from taking over the world. I have lost all the love in me to now understand that being evil has never been so much fun. Callisto was right, love is just a trick nature plays to get us to reproduce and it's not going to happen again. And after their deaths, me conquering the world with be easy now that I'm I god. Tell Caesar that Mitlick can kill my friends and family, but nothing will change. I'll still go after him. Be ready.' Then she hit me with the hilt of her sword and knocked me out. Then she fed me a poison." Caesar put his hand on his head, took the memory and gave it to Mitlick. "What happened?" he said coughing up more blood, "Caesar." "Thank you, you were a good friend." The man died.

Caesar and Pompey stood up. "Lets go," Caesar said, "We're finished here." They opened a portal to under the earth. "Ililililil-cheee-ya!" they heard an all to familiar call. Caesar looked up. And saw Xena in the air. Before he could react, Xena jumped on Caesar tackled him to the ground and kept her weight on his body, "You see Caesar, I don't think it is." "I got your message, Xena," "I know." Pompey got up from behind her and tried to sneak in under the earth. "Stay down!" Xena kicked him in the face. He fell over. "Now, your gonna deliver a massage for me," Xena said picking him up. Pompey took out a knife and headed for Xena. She kicked the knife, having the blade come in contact with his face. Blood dripped off the blade on the ground, staining the grass red, "Never knife a pregnant woman," she said taking Caesar.

After hours of riding she got off the horse when they came to the edge of the battlefield. She held Caesar in her hand. With her other hand she got her chakram and threw it at an angle at the ground. It circled them having the blade touching the ground them closed the circle coming up hitting a tree. And at Caesars face. His eyes were wide and he was frozen in fear. A centimeter from his face she caught it. She laughed as he sighed in relief. She put the Chakram at her hip and put him down. She flipped up in the air. Caesar started to run. She landed on the ground and the whole she cut in the earth collapsed. They were above a cave. They fell in.


	18. What's Your Answer

"Where did she go?!" Mitlick asked. "I don't know," Pompey said, "She just killed me and took Caesar." Ares stood behind Mitlick in silence, just listening to the conversation. "But she left a message," Pompey said. "I know I saw part of it, but it died when the solider did." Pompey waved his hands and put up a screen of his memory, 'The dead bodies went on for 97 miles. Every person either had an arrow in the throat, sword stabbed through the heart, head cut, limbs scattered, burned to ashes, or a huge, steaming ditch in their chest from of fireball. "Who are these men?" Pompey asked, "They are romans, but..." "These were my men Pompey," Pompey looked at Caesar, "When Mitlick took me in, I went up and ordered a huge banned of troops to a reformation and that when the time comes, they can kill Xena and become wealthy afterwords." They found one man that was still breathing. He coughed up blood, "Caesar." They ran over to him, "What exactly happened here?" We saw a woman riding. She had the strength and beauty like you said of Xena." Pompey looked at Caesar, "Beauty?" "Quiet," Caesar responded. "The million of us shot arrows at her. They went through but had no effect. She just pulled them out and threw them back at us. We shot catapults at her but she deflected them towards us. We finally attacked her but she flipped off of her horse and killed all of us. She's like a god. She's unstoppable. She's incredible," The man said with a smile, "She came up behind me. I didn't even know it. She put this thing on my neck. I couldn't move or breath. Blood gushed out of my nose. She said to me exactly, 'Tell your leader, Caesar, that I knew about this army from the start. Tell him that I hate both Mitlick and Ares and that now it'll be easy to kill Ares now and stop Mitlick from taking over the world. I have lost all the love in me to now understand that being evil has never been so much fun. Callisto was right, love is just a trick nature plays to get us to reproduce and it's not going to happen again. And after their deaths, me conquering the world with be easy now that I'm I god. Tell Caesar that Mitlick can kill my friends and family, but nothing will change. I'll still go after him. Be ready.' Then she hit me with the hilt of her sword and knocked me out. Then she fed me a poison." Caesar put his hand on his head, took the memory and gave it to Mitlick. "What happened?" he said coughing up more blood, "Caesar." "Thank you, you were a good friend." The man died. Caesar and Pompey stood up. "Lets go," Caesar said, "We're finished here." They opened a portal to under the earth. "Ililililil-cheee-ya!" they heard an all to familiar call. Caesar looked up. And saw Xena in the air. Before he could react, Xena jumped on Caesar tackled him to the ground and kept her weight on his body, "You see Caesar, I don't think it is." "I got your message, Xena," "I know." Pompey got up from behind her and tried to sneak in under the earth. "Stay down!" Xena kicked him in the face. He fell over. "Now, your gonna deliver a massage for me," Xena said picking him up. Pompey took out a knife and headed for Xena. She kicked the knife, having the blade come in contact with his face. Blood dripped off the blade on the ground, staining the grass red, "Never knife a pregnant woman," she said taking Caesar.'

Ares had a look of shock on his face. He couldn't believe it. Because of him, his Xena hated him, lost every ounce of love in her heart, is more evil than she ever was and is more dangerous than she ever was as a warlord. All because of him. Because he broke their trust. Now she's unstoppable, killing by the minute. And the worst thing, she can't be killed. Now she's planning on killing him and Mitlick and take over the world. "So, she's on the evil path, and want to take over the world and kill me through you," Mitlick smiled, "All I have to do is convince her." Mitlick left.

Back on Earth...

Xena landed on her feet, Caesar on his side. "Xena went over to him. "In the past you broke my legs and you crucified me on a cross. It's only fair that you get the same punishment. With a wave of her hand, Caesar was tied at the feet and hands. A cross was on the floor. She tied his hands to the cross while he tried to escape. She tied his feet and picked up a nail and hammer. She put his feet together and looked at him, a smile on her face. He looked at her, "Xena! Think about what your doing!" he said in fear. "Oh, believe me. I already did," with that she hammered the nail into his feet. He screamed, and screamed, and screamed. She did the same to his hands, smiling the entire time, trickles of his blood on her face. She lifted the cross and got the hammer, laying it behind her head. He looked down at her. She laughed and swung the hammer with all her force at his knees. He screamed loud and painfully. "Caesar, when you die tell your leader something, tell him I'll be waiting." With that she left.

She materialized in a forest and walked, thinking to herself. She looked down at her rapidly growing stomach. The child is growing 10 times as fast as normal. She changed into a different outfit to get herself more comfortable. Then she sensed something. "I smell a rat. Come out rat," she snarled. 'Rat?" Mitlick said, "That's no way to talk to your..." "Shut Up!" she yelled. "Ok, just take it easy. I've come to offer you a deal," he said. "No you haven't. Now you know that I'm evil, your going to try to seduce me into your fold. You want me to rule the world with you together, have this child and all the others." "Your smarter than you look," he said, "What if I told you that If you do rule it with me we'd be unstoppable together." "I already am," she said. "What if I told you I have a plan to kill the gods," he said. She laughed, "What if I told you that I already have plans to take out all the gods, you included? That I already conquered the galaxy and killed 1/3 the population of the earth. What then, huh? And even you did have everything, what would you have left to conquer?" she said. "You," with that she added, "You'd be asking me to give up the future. Well I wont do that even if it means sacrificing my life." "What if I say I could bring back your son," he said getting her one weak spot. "That's impossible. Solan's dead.," she said. "Nothing's impossible, Xena." Xena looked down. "So what's your answer?" Xena looked up at Mitlick.


	19. I'm Gonna Get My Son

Mitlick appeared under the earth and repetitively smacked a table in anger. Ares walked in the room and smiled, leaning on a wall, "She turned you down, didn't she?" "Good, Xena. At least she was respectful. But the evil Xena..." Mitlick said still trying to calm himself down. "Brash, disrespectful and smart," Ares smiled, "I know, I used to have this Xena. Oh and trust me, she wasn't the easiest warrior I every dealt with. She never let me get away with anything, She had the nerve to question me and she never took what I said at face value." "So she was always like this," Mitlick turned around. "Oh, yeah. Oh and try to to avoid getting this Xena angry," Ares answered. "And what if I had?" "Hope your death is quick and painful rather than slow and even more painful."

Mitlick turned around. "What did you offer her?" Ares asked. "I offered her a chance to rule the world at my side. That we'd be unstoppable. Then I said if I conquered everything, the only thing left to conquer would be her," he turned around and walked toward him. "She never fell for that even when I did it." "Want to know what she said? She said that she already was unstoppable, had a plan to take out all the gods including me. She said she already conquered the galaxy and killed 1/3 the population of the earth." "That's it?" Ares asked. "No. I offered her her son back."

Back On Earth...

Xena was enjoying the thrill of the kill, only trying to keep her thoughts off her son. She remembered his birth, then her thoughts plumaged to Ares and Gabrielle and her old lover when she was evil. One before even Ares.

His name was Borias. They met after Caesar broke her legs, and they teamed up. After her legs were healed, they became lovers. He got her pregnant but they soon started to grow apart. She became more in love with violence and power and he began to know honor. The only thing that kept her from being fully corrupted was Borias' influence. Xena was about to start a war between them and the centaurs but Borias joined the enemy feeling that there was no need to start a war. She then considered him the enemy, but ordered his capture unharmed. The night the centaurs raided her camp was the night Xena gave birth. Borias went in the tent she was in and told her while she was in labor that he was going to take her and their son away. But after he told Xena's slave she told Xena's second in command that Borias came to kill Xena. He killed him and left, but before he died, he saw Xena come out with his son in his hands. he lifted a hand up, "My Son."

Xena then went to the centaurs and gave them her son, which she had named Solan. Ten years later, she saw Solan for the first time sense, but he wanted to kill her because he was told that she had killed his father and mother. They went up against Xena's old second in command and in front of all the centaurs, who thought Xena killed Borias, said that he killed Borias and described how he did it. Xena killed him. Solan then found out that she didn't kill his mother and father. They then became friends, but she didn't tell him that she was his mother.

A year later Gabrielle gets impregnated by Dahak, Mitlick's brother, and gives birth to the child of evil, which she doesn't know and names it Hope. Hope grew the rate that Xena's was now. In just hours after birth, while Gabrielle was asleep, Xena saw Hope choke and kill one of the nights of the round table. She then took out her sword and tried to kill it, but Gabrielle woke up. Xena said they had to kill Hope but Gabrielle ran to a river, put Hope in a basket and let it float down the river, then lied to Xena and said that she killed it because it tried to kill her.

Later that same year, they went to the centaurs to visit. Gabrielle found an eight year old girl which turned out to be Hope. Xena was going to take Solan away because his uncle died, killed by Hope and they didn't know it. Solan was packing his things with Xena out of the room and then Hope came in. Xena went back inside and found Solan on the ground. She ran over to him and lightly tapped on his face. She checked his pulse, but there was none. She screamed and cried holding him in her arms.

Then Gabrielle came in and Xena told her to get out. They honored them at a funeral. "If I had just done what you said when you told me to do it, then they would still be alive, Kaleipus and Solan," Gabrielle said to Xena. "No, don't you even speak his name," Xena said. "Xena." "No. No, you lied to me. I trusted you and you lied to me. And now Solan is dead. my son is dead because of you," she told Gabrielle before shedding a tear and walking away.

After this Ares comes to Xena to help her deal with Solans death, but instead of helping her try to get along with Gabrielle, he turns her back to the dark side and tells her to kill Gabrielle. She was about to throw her off a cliff when something hit them both and they became friends again.

The next year Ares joins forces with Dahak and Hope, who is now an adult and looks exactly like Gabrielle. He tells Gabrielle that if Xena kills Hope she will die. Ares gets Hope pregnant. Just when Xena is about to kill Hope. Gabrielle jumps in the wall and has her and Hope fall in a lava pit. Xena doesn't know it but Ares saves them and keeps their souls. He asked Xena to marry him and says that would be the only way hell help her find Gabrielle. She accepts his offer then at the ceremony says I do not. She jumps down the lava pit and Ares saves her. She figures everything out, almost everything and makes a deal with Ares that he will release Gabrielle's soul for Xena's. Later She find Gabrielle and Hope dies and everything was back to normal until this new prophecy.

She stopped killing people for the minute and appeared in Hades realm with the dagger of Helios, a weapon that can kill gods in her hand., "I'm gonna get my son."

She walking into one of the torture parts heading for the Elision Fields, the place where people who hadn't done enough good to go to heaven go. As she was walking she heard her voice on a screen to the left, "You can come down now Solan. I know your up there." She looked to her right to find Solan wrapped in a web-like cloth, "Solan?" "Mother?"


	20. What Shall I Do With Her?

Xena Gets her chakram out and cuts down the material, having him fall down into her arms, "Solan, what are you doing here? I put you in the Elision Fields before Eve was born." He opens him mouth to speak, "After you put me there and hades didn't come back, I stayed there and was happy. But after a long time, he came back very angry and cast me here again. I don't know why, but he did it anyway."

Xena's face instantly changed to a angered face. Her eyes then changed a color only for a second. Then she turned her eyes to the right. She turned while standing up, "What did he ever do to you, Hades?" "It's more of a matter of what you did to me," he said with a straight face standing at the other end of the hall. "Oh, so that's it, not paying my respect to the gods? Wait, which time was it? Was it when I was killing you and your family or was it when you were giving me a choice to save only one of my children while you wanted to kill the one inside me, so I disobeyed you and used your own tool against you to save both of them instead of picking one," she walked towards him. He looked up, "Ok as much as I would enjoy burning you to ashes right now, I would love to know how your alive." "Oh, Mitlick Mitlick brought me back turned me into a god. That's about it. But let me guess, you want to know more. Ok. Mitlick got me pregnant, Ares betrayed me, I became evil, killed billions, conquered to galaxy, Oh wait, your probably too slow to know what a galaxy is, so I'll skip that. Got the dagger of Helios, and now I'm getting my son," she turned around and started walking to Solan. Solan didn't here Xena being to far away. "Xena." She turned around to see a fireball heading for her face. "Mom!" Solan yelled. She caught his fireball, "That's not nice," she said throwing the fireball back. He flew back.

She ran over to Solan and picked him up. He then felt her huge stomach bulge, "Mom?." "What is it sweetheart," she asked. "Your pregnant?" he asked. "Yes, we'll talk about it later." He got up, "First we need to get you out of here." She turned around to see another fireball heading her way. She deflected it back towards him. He fell back. "Guards!"

Xena looked back to see 10 guards running in. "Get her and her spawn!" he said pointing to her. "No one touches my son!" A black ball flew over to the guards and disappears. They then ran over to Xena, but as they were running, they exploded their body parts scattering in the air and turning to ash. She and Solan looked back turned and left.

As they were walking they heard a flash. Xena looked back and Hades was gone, "We need to move quickly." "Mom." "what is it?" she said sweetly. "What about dad?" he asked. "What do you mean what about dad?" he asked. "I saw him in the Elision Fields. I saw him for the first time. He told me about you. He still loves you, he misses you. He said you were evil though and he want to help you change your ways. But I told him you changed and that you killed Dagnin because he killed him. He told me he wants to see you again," Xena stopped dead in her tracks. "Can we save him too?" he asked. She thought for a minute. "Lets go save your father," she said smiling at her son. They turned around and walked to the Elision Fields.

Solan went in and she stopped at the door. Solan looked back, "Mother, whats wrong." She passed through, "Nothing." As she passed through a group of her friends and family appeared and circled around her. Her mother, another of her old lovers Marcus, her brother Lyceus, Joxer, every good person who died was there. She embraced them all and kissed Marcus. They all said their goodbyes and Solan continued to guide her to Borias. Solan ran to Borias and he flew into his arms, "Dad!" "Solan!" he said. Xena stopped in shock. Solan pulled back, "What's wrong, son." "There's someone here who wants to see you," he said. "Who is it?" he asked questioningly. Solan pointed towards Xena. He looked, his brown eyes widened in shock. He stood up, "Xena?" He slowly walked over to her, "Borias?" The hungarian man touched her face. She hugged him, a tear fell from her eye. "It's really you," she said pulling back. "Your pregnant?" he asked in shock. "It's a long story," she said.

Then she sensed a presence. "Get away from my family. "What?" Borias asked in confusion. He turned to where she was looking. There stood Mitlick and Ares walking towards Xena. She took out her chakram, "Solan come over here." He ran to her side. She wrapped her extra arm around him, while Borias had his arms around her.

Ares looked at her, a little hurt, "Don't look at me like that, Ares. You brought this on yourself." "Xena, I'm sorry, but I can't let you leave with your family," Mitlick said. "Watch me," she said. Mitlick throw an energy ball at Xena. She caught it and it sat in her hand. "Xena, who are these people and what's wrong with wrong with you?" Borias asked in shock. Xena didn't answer him, she just looked forward at the two who desperately want her more than anything in the world. Mitlick started to walk closer to her. The fireball in her hand turned black and her eyes for a second glowed red. She threw the fireball at Mitlick. He flew back and instantly got up, throwing another fireball at her. She put her hand up to deflect it, but Ares put up an energy field around her and her family. Then Xena started to speak, "Stop it, Ares! I hate you and I don't need your help! I can protect my family on my own!" He looked at her in a pleading way. Xena tilted her head, "Don't tell me you still love me. Ares I despise you, you've been tormenting me for years. If you love me then say it, go on say it." She pauses, "The time for you and me has been and gone. You ended it when you gave me to Mitlick when I stopped my heart." She grabbed Borias' arms and unwrapped them. They turned around and ran. Hades appeared behind her and threw a fireball. He threw her chakram at the fireball it hit it and deflected it back to him. She chakram flew back to Xena, she caught it. Hades flew back to where Mitlick and Ares stood. He looked up and saw them, then he vanished in fear.

Ares then yelled to Xena, "What about our family?" Xena turned around in confusion, "What are you talking about? We have no family." Borias and Solan are in too much shock to speak. "The God of War has no heir from me." Borias looked at Xena then to Ares, "The God of War?" Xena glances at him and back at Ares. "The messenger of peace is my heir. Eve, is my daughter," he said admitting it. "Eve, wasn't made like a normal child. There was no man, Callisto gave it to me when she was in heaven," she said. "I erased your memory of that night," he said. Xena shook her head in disgust and turned and walked away.

Ares left along with Mitlick. just before the entrance Mitlick appeared in front of her and shot a fireball at her. Hades appeared behind her and did the same. Mitlick left, having Xena get hit with both balls. She collapsed on the ground, knocked out. "Xena!" Borias said kneeling down next to her. "Mom!" Solan said doing the same. She materialized away. Ares came, "Come with me, I'll keep you safe," before they could respond he grabbed their shoulders and the were gone.

On Olympus...

Hades walks in with Xena in his arms. He drops her at Zeus' feet, "Brother." "She's pregnant with Mitlick's children, she's got the dagger of Helios, conquered the galaxy and is evil again. What shall I do with her?" Hades asked.


	21. It's Not Mine

"Did you see that?!" Mitlick said pacing. Complete anger on his face. Gabrielle, Iolaos, Hercules and Eve were chained in front of Mitlick. "Xena's pregnant. But I didn't finish the fertilization process. The only other man she's been with would be..." he said in realization and left. The four friends were shocked.

On Olympus...

Zeus and Hades looked down at her. Xena's eyes shot open. Zeus looked at her, tilting his head to the side, "Meeting!" At one time every god from Mount Olympus was gathering around Zeus. "What is it, Zeus? You never call on meetings at dawn!" Athena yelled at Zeus. getting no response she looked to where his eyes were, "Oh." The gods, and Goddesses sat at the table. Ares looked at Xena with a fear only Xena could see, that everyone else was oblivious to.

All of a sudden, she was flying across the room and stuck to a glowing wall. "I've called you here today to decide the fate of this, thing," Zeus spat out. Ares eyes burned red and he yelled in his mind, "Don't call my chosen that!" "I'm not your chosen, Ares!" she said aloud, reading his thoughts. "Burn her. Kill her. Turn her to ashes." Gods and goddesses chant, yelling over each other. "Quiet! I declare Xena, chosen of Ares, gone rouge."

Xena's eyes widened, but she wasn't shocked. "Oh, how nice of you, Zeus. I was kinda suspecting when you'd finally call it. You know for the times when I threatened Poseidon and Hades. When I betrayed your son the first time, like it says in the rulebook, 'Once a chosen disobeys his or her god he or she must pay for their mistake by death.' But you call it now, what a surprise," Xena said sarcastically.

Ares stands, "Dammit Xena. Look what your stubbornness got you into," he slams his hands on the table, making a thundered sound. Her eyes narrowed on his. Then Xena looked up. The gods eyed her suspiciously. "I smell a rat, Come out rat," she said aloud. That's when Mitlick appeared. The gods were silent and in shock except for Xena and Ares. "What is it about me? You always seem to know when I'm around, along with him of course. I must have a certain presence around you," Mitlick says to her. With a grin Xena says, "You say presence, I say stench."

He paces around, the gods starring at him in fear. "Xena," he says. "What?!" she yelled annoyed by his constant calling. "The child must die." "Oh, say mister 'I would never kill our children, Xena, they'd be too important to me.' Why is that?" she asked. "The fertilization process wasn't complete," he answers her. "So," Xena responds. "So it's not mine," Mitlick says still pacing around. Ares looked at him and back at Xena in complete shock. "What are you driving at?" Xena asked in confusion. "I mean the child doesn't belong to me. It's not of my flesh and blood. It's of Ares'."

Under the Earth...

Gabrielle thought to herself. She was friends with Ares, and she knew that they loved each other. She never talked to him though and the one time she did was after he gave up his immortality to save Xena from being killed by bringing Eve and Gabrielle to life after being dead. She thanked him and he said that he did it for Xena. that if Eve died Athena would have killed Xena, so he saved Eve to save Xena. He said that she was just an afterthought. She was in complete shock.

Hercules was burning with hatred and rage. his stomach was turning. He thought about the woman he loved and his half-brother rolling around like weasels on the floor. He wanted to kill Ares and maybe Xena too. He hated Ares so much knowing that Xena was pregnant with his kin.

Iolaos was mad at Ares and Xena, but he didn't hate him. At least not as much as his brother did. Xena was his friend who was now pregnant with his enemies child.

Eve was happy for Xena. She knew that Xena and Ares loved each other and accepted it. She knew that Ares wasn't all bad and was capable of love. She was the messenger of peace after all. But she felt sad. Knowing the situation their in, the child might not be able to survive.

The one thing the four friends didn't know was the evil that had taken root and has almost fully conquered Xena now.

On Olympus...

Xena turned around in shock, "You did this to me?! I was mortal! You swore!" "Xena, I'm sorry," he tried to explain. "You really got it now! Now that I gave you my trust, you've got everything you've always wanted!" she said pushing him back. "I didn't mean to..." Ares started to say. "You know that whoever has the god of wars child once dies if she has another and I already had Eve!"

Xena took a crossbow out of the ether. She was about to shoot it at Ares when Athena threw a dagger at her, but he caught it without looking. All of a sudden, a fire started on Olympus and everyone scattered. Athena hid behind a black cloth holding her sword in her hand. Once she heard Xena pass by, she lunged her sword at her. Xena knew she was there and in one quick movement, blocked her sword and stabbed her. blood oozed out of the wound. Xena slowly pulled her sword out of the goddesses chest. The earth shook. "Mitlick," Xena said in the flames, "My plan is working."

Fireballs were thrown at her, but Xena deflected every one into a being. Hades, Zeus, Artemis and Apollo were now dead. Burning holes in their chest, charred black like coal were steaming hot burning to the core. The rest of the gods disappeared leaving Xena on olympus.

Ares went to the Halls of War. He looked in a mirror and Xena appeared. She was looking down at her stomach, caressing it like it was the only thing in the world. "All I've ever wanted was to have a family Xena. For eons, I never knew love. But when I met you, the first time I say you in battle... All I wanted was a family, Xena. A family, with you," he said to himself.

She stood there, caressing her stomach. Then she felt a pain. It came again. She bent over holding her stomach, "It's coming."


	22. The Birth of Ares Second Child

Ares watched her through the portal in panic. He didn't know what to do. If he went, there was a chance she'd kill him. If not? That he wasn't sure. He thought about the pro's and con's, but it wasn't a very balanced list.

On Olympus...

She bent over in the now dark room holding her stomach, starting to groan in pain. She's given birth twice, but never alone. There was no one there to help her. She didn't know what to do. She fell to her knees on the cold marble floor. She held her mouth open trying to hold in cries of pain. She perked her head up and looked around the dark room for a bed of some kind. There was none. He turned on the ground and lied there. The pains got worse.

In the Halls of War...

Ares looked through the mirror, still debating on wether or not he should go to his princess. He was worried. If she had this baby, she would die because whoever has a second child of the God of War is doomed to a slow painful death. No one knows what or how it happens, not even the king of the gods himself. He turned away from the mirror, looking down at his feet. but he looked back up as soon as Xena's moan turned to crying of pain. He saw her leaning against a fallen column Holding her stomach as her head was flicked back crying out.

On Olympus...

She was having trouble, no one was there. She had to get ready. While still in pain, in a thought she was sitting on a fur skin, and her breastplate, gauntlets, arm-pads and pants were off. Pain, so much pain. It was unbearable. She was giving birth to a child that was conceived by to gods, the God of War, who is the biggest and strongest god on Mount Olympus and her, the Warrior Princess, strong, stubborn, arrogant and always gets what she wants, and this baby wanted out. Because of its parents, the child must be twice the size of a normal one, especially after growing in such a short amount of time, ten days. Xena's cries grew louder, growing from loud moans to screams. Her head flew back in pain, cracking the stone column she's resting on.

In the Halls of War...

Ares watched her. His eyes shining with worry, fear, pity and love. He watched her scream over and over again. Droplets of sweat on her forehead while her head was thrown back in pain. It went on for a minute, constant screams, constant pain. Until he heard it. He heard her call his name. Her head was thrown back, eyes closed and her fingernails pushing into the skin on her stomach, not piercing her soft immortal flesh. He materialized. His named was screamed long and loud, that the people she left alive from the land of Chin could hear. Apparently so did Mitlick.

On Olympus...

She had no choice, she had to do it, call for him. She couldn't do this alone. She needed support, someone there with her.

She felt his presence. Ares came close too her. She knew that Ares knew what to do during a pregnancy. She breathed his name in between harsh breaths, eyes closed and head still back. But, instead a sword materialized in his hand.

She looked at him mouth still hung open in pain. She realized it was Mitlick. He lifted the sword up, "It's not mine," he said before bringing the sword down. Again, Xena screamed Ares name. A red fireball hit Mitlick in the side sending him flying across the Olympus halls out the window.

Ares ran over to Xena in panic. "Xena, I'm here, I'm here," Ares said while trying to clam Xena down and keep her from repeating his name. He grabbed her hand and entwined his fingers with hers. She tightened her grip on his hand and he squeezed her hand slightly in a comforting way. "Everything will be alright, I promise," Ares said as he looked up worried.

He materialized everything in his room tucked into one place before transporting him and his princess there. She was placed on the bed. Ares at the edge. "Shush princess. Everything'll be fine," he reassured her. Xena stopped screaming and was now just breathing hard and occasionally moaning, feeling Ares hand entwined with hers.

"Ok, Xena. Push," he said calmly. Xena pushed hard, feeling the baby shifting inside her. Right now she trusted Ares. She knew that right now Ares would protect her against all odds, no matter how hard the odds are to beat.

"Come on Xena. Push," Ares said to her. Xena's mouth was now closed but her head was still back. Ares looked up at Xena. This was the calmest birth he had ever seen. Other women having a child usually scream during birth. There has only been a few women in the world who moan during birth and Xena was one of those people. But no one has ever seen or heard a woman give birth this quietly. Not even Hera, the goddess who deals with family and childbirth. All he heard was her breathing, a slow, steady, continuous breath. "Push, Xena," he said softly looking back down from his beautiful warrior. As he looked down, he smiled slightly, "Come on, Xe. Push. It's coming." Xena pushed silently, feeling herself bringing another life into the world. And slowly but surely, the child came.

Ares cleaned the baby off and wrapped in a silky, black cloth with a snap. Smiling he lied on the bed next to Xena. He handed the baby to her. "It's a baby boy," Xena said smiling. The babies eyes had a little baby blue leading to a chocolate brown color and his hair was a wavy midnight black. "Ares," Xena says looking from the baby in her arms to the God who arms are wrapped around her and their child, "he's beautiful."

While Xena was playing with her babies fingers Ares remembered. Whoever had the God of Wars second child dies. Xena already had Eve. But how was she gonna die. And that's when Mitlick walked in.


End file.
